Filling in the blank
by Goonie-Gal
Summary: The law isn't on my side. I can't go to the cops. I'm not a theif, although i find it oddly easy to be one. I want one thing. I want my father back. So I make a move, and my life explodes. I was in WAY over my head. I needed help. LEVERAGE TEAM
1. Not a normal family

I don't own any characters except Allison. Ally. The entire team is in this story.

I sat in the corner of the restaurant, going over my fake accent in my head. Gosh dang it I hated when I got so nervous for nothing. The worse cases I would sweat, become short of breath, and extremely thirsty. But when I had to do what I came to do, I was unstoppable. I adjusted my wig. Straight, perfect black hair past my shoulders. With the help of make up, and contacts, I had dark brown eyes, and higher cheekbones. The wig I bought at a garage sale, and the contacts where mine. Not that I needed a disguise, I just loved dressing up as different characters.

I finished off my glass of ice tea in one gulp and looked at my watch. Time to go. I left a five on the table and grabbed my coat walking out. Walking in high heels was annoying, but it gave me the look I wanted. Black tights, high, tight skirt and a blouse. The look of a rich girl. I walked out and around to the back of the restaurant. It was and empty street between the restaurant and a business building, a perfect place.

Just as I came to the blue dumpster with the red circle, another person came from the other end. He was a little older then me… maybe nineteen. Dark blue jacket torn jeans with a fancy belt and skater shoes were the descriptions I was given to recognize my guy. It was him…a skateboard under his arm, and yellow back in his hand. He walked straight up to me, keeping his hood over his head and his voice low.

"You have it?" I asked. The boy scoffed.

"Think I would show up if I didn't?" the boy said.

"Hand it over." I ordered. The boy held out the yellow bag to me. I took it and pulled out a small clear plastic box. Inside the plastic box was a small figure of superman.

"How do I know it's the real thing?" I asked.

"The receipt is inside the bag." He said. I looked back in the bag and pulled the receipt out. I nodded seeing 'MC DONALDS' logo, sign and signature on it.

"Hmm. Thank you Greg, I appreciate it. And my father will to." I said putting the collectable back in the back.

"Ya whatever. Call me next time alright? I'm loosing a lot of money on gas."

"Sure thing." I said.

"Um… just out of curiosity, what's up with the meeting place you chose?" he asked. I hesitated. I wasn't expecting that question. I need to think fast.

"My dad… you know who has the mansion down on Timber View? He owns half the town. He cannot know I am doing this, so I half to choose my locations of everything carefully. Otherwise some people that work for him may see me and let something slip. I cannot risk that. That's why I sent you to go get the merchandise for me. I cannot be seen in places like that." I lied. I had to give an inward applause on my accent. It was flawless.

"And why can't he know?" he asked.

"It's his Christmas present." I told him. "I have a date on the receipt, and proof I bought his present before he bought mine."

"Ok, so why such a cheap present for such a rich guy then?" he asked. I frowned.

"We have a game every year, if you must know. To try and guess what the other person bought for us. This way, he will never guess. Such a cheap gift won't even be on his second guess list. I will make up for it on his birthday." He opened his mouth for another question but I put my hand up, playing the 'rich snob' role I was on.

"Thank you for your time." I said, "I enjoy doing my business with you Greg, as always."

"Any time Mrs. Levieta." He said. I turned around and walked away. Now for phase two.

I walked into the bathroom of the local pool. I grabbed the empty stall in the end and stood up on the toilet. Reaching up and pushing the ceiling tile back, and pulled my dark green backpack out. Quickly I pulled the clothes out and changed. The heels were replaced by plain white tennis shoes. I slipped on jeans and a white t-shirt with a plaid button up over shirt. I pulled my wig off letting my blonde hair fall, but only for a second. I pulled it back in a neat low pony-tail just above my neck. I took out my contacts, now having dark hazel eyes, and slipped on a pair of round glasses. I crunched the receipt from the bag and replaced it with a new one. I stuffed the clothes in the backpack, and flung it over my shoulder. In less then three minutes Mrs. Levieta was gone, and out walked a quiet, computer girl. I was going for the 'dorky nerd' look. But didn't want to push it. Nothing fancy, everything plain but very neat and clean. The big round glasses helped pull the rest off. Now for phase three!

I found myself sitting on the bench at the city park. I didn't have to wait long for the two guys to show up. They were in their early twenties, but looked MUCH younger. They didn't look like they had seen the light of day, their skin was hardly any darker then white rice. They walked right up to me and I stood up. I handed the bag over.

"You found it?" they asked.

"It wasn't that hard. It was in a local antique shop in Watsburg. Wasn't easy, but worth the effort." I said. They pulled out the receipt and looked it over. By their reaction, they were to excited to care if it was a fake. They pulled out the plastic box, revealing superman.

"I can't believe it. The only addition of Superman ever made in the entire series of super heroes made in the 1990's. Do you realize we almost have a complete collection now? The hardest one to find was superman… and we have it!!!" the first man said. I smiled.

"Here." The second man handed me a paper bag. I looked in it, "65 dollars, like you asked." I nodded seeing the amount of cash I had made.

"Alright, well I have a convention to get to, I'll see you later. Thanks for the pay, Matt and Jed. I'll see you around." I said, and walked away. This was to easy.

I got back to my house. An apartment building top floor last room. I lived here with my dad, still not having the money to go to collage. Not that I really minded. I would probably pass every class beyond the 'flying colors' my dad always talked about. I would always reply 'i'd pass with the colors they haven't discovered yet.' My dad recognized my spirit and how smart I was easily. It wasn't hard when you got to know me. But that was the thing, only my dad KNEW me.

I went to my room and shut the door. I scoffed and threw the paper bag into my closet. My dad wouldn't be home till dark. And it was only noon. He was usually gone. For WORK he would say. Ya. Work that would take only a few hours one day, and weeks next time he went. But it kept food on the table, so I didn't argue.

I picked up the lock sitting on my desk and looked it over. I had pulled it off my dad's desk, but the desk was empty, the lock undone. Whatever, he was probably starting a new subject in his job and cleaned out. Her dad was very organized and like to keep it that way.

Suddenly, I stopped and sat up. Something pulsed in my head… a memory… a picture. When I walked in the door, not but five minutes ago… something was wrong. I concentrated. Walking in the door, you were instantly in the living room. The door to the kitchen was just ahead… and could barely be seen from where I had stood. But what I did see was the corner of the kitchen table, and the just a sliver of the sink. Above the sink, was the window… an open window. A window my dad always kept shut and locked because of his paranoia of 'birds.'. I could also see a small print on the counter… just a little. But I put two and two together. Someone broke into our apartment. I got off the bed and went for the door, and froze again. There was a stomp outside my door. I licked my lips. Whoever it was, hadn't left. I put my ear to the door. It was a woman… she was talking. Was their more then one? Quickly and quietly I pulled out my laptop. Nothing special, but I could do a lot on it. I got into my dads' system, knowing his computer was in the same room the thief was. I loaded the webcam, and accessed the speakers. After turning down the volume, I clicked accept. A few seonds after loading, a low voice came on.

"… we have a problem… someone's in the apartment…." There was a pause, "no I didn't see who it was!" the voice was whispered, but intense, "you were suppose to warn me if anyone was coming! Dang it…. Ya you better fix it…." She said. Suddenly the fire alarm in the apartment building went off. What the… I shut my lap top and ran for the door. Wow. The thief was gone. She was good. Quick to. I ran to the door and peeked out into the hallway. There was no fire. Just a wacky spoof alarm to get me out of the area. I slammed the door shut and stay quiet. The thief fell for it.

"It was a girl…I thought he didn't have any children?" The thief said, sliding out from the couch her back towards me. She had wavy blonde hair and looked very flexible and very fit. "I'm telling you his desk is empty. There is nothing in his office. Someone got there before me. Well what am I suppose to do track down Malici and ask for the files? Ya, uh huh that'll…" the thief froze, her eyes locked on my with my cell phone to my ear.

"Ya I have a break in Brinham's apartments top floor room 412." I said to the nine one one emergency response.

"Oh crap." The thief breathed. I heard a small voice yelling… almost muffled. An ear piece I realized. The voice was coming from her ear piece. And it was yelling the same thing over and over. GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT NOW! Before I could say anything else the thief broke for the kitchen. I ran after her and arrived in just enough time to see her dive out the window. I slid to a stop in the kitchen.

"ma'am?" the voice in my phone said. Neither of us had hung up. Just then the door opened and I ran to the living room. My dad was locking the door, his face white, his coat splattered with dirt. His eyes were wide when looked at me.

"Dad!! Someone just broke into our apartment!" I said… "I just called 911…" My dad game me a horrified look, and snatched the phone from my hand.

"Hi, I'm sorry, it was a false alarm…" he sputtered into the phone.

"Dad!!" I said. He hushed me instantly.

"Ya, I'm sorry, it was me. Her father. I wasn't suppose to be home till later tonight. It was a mistake… yes I'm sorry for that. Thanks for your time…" he hung up.

"Dad what's going on?" I asked. My dad tossed the phone on the couch and frantically went for his office. "Dad?"

"Honey… I'm going away for a few weeks. Ok? A business trip. Don't try and contact me for any reason. Millie is going to stop by tomorrow and help out around the house. Don't answer the phone for any unknown caller." I followed my dad into his office listening to his frantic orders.

"Dad your scaring me." I said.

"Sweatheart just listen, ok. This is very important. Don't invite anyone over until I get back. Don't purchase anything over 75$. Don't use my car. Here's money for the bus." He slapped down two hundred dollar bills on his empty desk and flung his brief case open. He went for the corner of the office and pulled up the carpet. I blinked. Since when did the carpet come up? Since when did my dad carry 100 dollar bills? He pulled out a yellow and a red folder from under the carpet and opened them up reviewing their contents. He threw them in his brief case and clicked it shut.

"Did you get all of that?" my dad asked me, passing me at the door and heading for the front door.

"Ya of course, I didn't miss a detail." I said, "Including the strain in your voice, and the panic in your movements and the fear in your eyes. Dad, WHAT is going on?"

"I'll explain everything later ok? Don't leave town… oh…" he stopped before he went out the door, "and DON'T turn on the T.V while I'm gone ok? Promise me?" I hesitated. That look in his eye when he said something about the TV, made me cross my fingers.

"I promise." I said.

"That's my girl. Ok, bye now." He kissed my forehead and left me in silence closing the door tight. I wiped my forehead where he kissed me, and sniffed it. It stank of sweat. He was sweating… he was nervous.

I sat down on the couch and thought. Something was horribly wrong. My heart was going to fast to recognize individual beats. I was breathing hard, and I was sitting down. I was going to figure out what was going on. My dad hung up on the police. Which meant he didn't trust them… which meant this was serious. Dangerous even. If my dad didn't trust the police… then neither would I. Not trusting the police was risky.

I stopped. Did I even hear myself thinking? NOT trusting the police? Finding out what was wrong? What if I was in way over my head? What if my dad was in a business that could get him killed? What if I got in the middle of it and GOT killed? I shook it off. It wasn't that serious. But I did need to figure this out. And I was going to.

I went over what my dad told me to do. Both individually and as a group. No contacting him. Which meant he didn't want to be interrupted… or found out, or letting it know he had a daughter. I remembered what the thief said. She didn't know I existed. Then he said not to answer any unknown caller. Which meant that someone might try to call, and he didn't want me to answer. Don't invite anyone over. He didn't want anyone else other then me and Millie in the apartment. Buying anything over 75$? He didn't want any attention through credit card or money accounts. Don't use his car? The only thing I could think of was license plate. Don't leave town… sounded like staying low. Don't turn on the TV? He was hiding something. The look in his eye told me so. So all together, whoever had him freaked out, didn't know he had a daughter, me. And he wanted to keep it that way. And I would find some answers on TV.

I licked my lips, and fingered the remote. I pressed power. The TV blinked on. I flipped through, wondering what channel to watch. I realized with all my information, and doubting the police I shouldn't be asking myself that question. I flipped to the news, and my blood ran cold. It was breaking news… live… and on the scene.

I listened for ten minutes before then moved on to another story, and I shut it off. The report… was about a fiery accident between a bus and a semi truck. They said twelve were injured, and one died in the explosion. They showed a picture of the victim… it was my dad.

Enemy


	2. Didn't see THAT coming

Ok… so this was more serious then I thought. To the world… he was dead. Which made his orders make even more sense. He was in serious trouble… with some serious people. Again I asked myself if I wanted to get into this. After only a second of thought I forgot I even asked myself that question.

I took a breath. I need to calm down. I needed to think. I needed to concentrate. My mind calmed, as did my heart and my breathing. When I was sure I was under control. I rewound the events in my head to when the thief dove out the window. Then my dad came in. He took the phone from my hand… his hands. They were cold. Like he had been in a place where they didn't have a heater. When he opened his office door, his hands were shaking. From the cold or from panic and fear? His stride… I realized, his stride was longer then usual… which meant he had recently been running.

The files… the files he pulled from under the carpet. I strained to remember if I could see anything from them. Then I zoned in. The red folder. When he flipped through it writing flashed my way. _13__th__ Harlend street… Anthony Miles_… _12,000$… May 12__th__…_ but that was it. Then the yellow folder. _Zamic's…_ no… my dad's thumb was in the way of the word… then he moved it _… Zamin's 75$ a night… tenth floor… blue dog… 834114392… Nathan Ford._ That was it. I quickly went over the information again. photographic memory was down to an art with me. I could play a scene over a million times and tell you things I didn't even realized I saw. A gift my dad said.

Ok, what about after the files? He put them in his brief case… it had a dark red scuff on the side. Like some kind of red stone had scraped it. Then he left for the front door… whoa… something slipped from his pocket in the hallway. I got up and found a small ripped piece of paper in the hallway. In my dad's rush it had fallen out without his noticing. I looked at it. The writing was scribbled in my dad's panicked handwriting.

_Warehouse 12, _ _May 1__st__, 12:30. _

May first? That was today? 12:30? In fifteen minutes it would be. Warehouse 12? No idea other then a general area. I grabbed the two hundred bucks off my dad's desk, my laptop, my camera and stuffed them in my backpack. I grabbed my jacket and headed out the door. I would take a taxi… and find it's exact location with my laptop. I needed to get there fast.

In ten minutes I was on a roof with a nice view of warehouse 12. Abandoned, empty, no one in sight. I kept low on the roof, and pulled out my camera. After I turned the flash off, I zoomed in on the windows one by one, until I caught movement. My heart pulsed. I couldn't tell from fear or excitement. Was I scared to do this? Or was I excited to do this? I confusing thought, but I had to stay focused. I zoomed in on the window. I found a face, and snapped a shot. But then the face was gone. I waited for any more movement. Anything.

I jerked at the sound of a gunshot… and then another. Suddenly three people ran out of the warehouse at a full sprint. I gave points to the woman in heels.

KA---BOOOOOOOOMM!!!

I was almost through back from the explosion's impact, but I felt the heat of the fire fine enough. My eyes went wide. Ok… I was in WAY over my head. I was going to DIE if I did not get out of here. I peeked over the edge again, at the burning building. The three people were on the ground, but alive. I snapped a shot of the building, and the three people on the ground, before shoving everything in my backpack and taking off.

I ran faster then I ever remember running. Adrenaline was giving me a power I had never felt before. And that feeling. The one I couldn't decide what it was, was pulsing in my stomach and chest. I ignored it and ran. As soon as I hit the busy street I grabbed a taxi. I went straight home and put the pictures on my computer. I looked them over, and realized I had better images in my head. I had the ENTIRE picture in my head. Like a video I could watch over and over. But this was different then every other time I had taken 'video' in my head. It was clearer, it was sharper. I remember the sounds, the smells, the feelings. It was probably because I was panicking. Right? That's what that feeling was right? No, panic didn't seem like the right word. It was something different. Something I was not use to, or had ever felt before.

I flipped open my laptop. I thought some research would do some good. I typed in the name I saw from the red file. Anthony Miles. His name came up in big blue letters. He was a business man who owned a very wealthy company in New York. The building his company was at was on Harlend Street New York… another name I saw in the file. As I read on about Miles, things popped out at me. Their had been several investigations where Miles had gotten his money to start his business. All investigations were ended with no solid proof. Each investigation lasted about two weeks or less, with twelve altogether. This Miles guy seemed fishy to me.

Next I looked up anything special happening on May 12th. I found nothing on any engine search, but then I looked it up in the search under Miles company. May 12th marked the company's 13th year in successful business. But the more I thought about the date… the more it nagged me. Like there was something I already knew about that date. I shook it off and went back to google.

I typed in Nathan Ford. The name in the yellow folder. There was a lot on him to. He was an ex-insurance investigator, who quit after his sons death. He was a very successful investigator, and from his records an honest man. No more information on him came up after his quiet, other then rumors and gossip and guesses.

Zamin's was hotel business. It was 75$ a night, but by the looks of some of the rooms, it looked like it should have been 100$ a night. The tenth floor was all off limits, and registered to someone named Michel Harrison. I looked up the name and found nothing. Absolutely nothing. Blue dog came up as nothing more then images of little children's coloring, and some idiot who died it dog blue. I was about to decide to end my search and leave this investigation of my alone for the rest of my life… when their was a knock at the door.

Just setting the story up. How do you like it so far?


	3. Leverage takes a job

2 Weeks earlier

"The FBI showed up at my house the next morning. They said my son was dead… suicide. I was left with nothing…" Mrs. Reed said. She was sitting in a cushion chair, a box of tissues in front of her. The woman in front of her had a sincere and concerned looked on her face as she listened to the story. Mrs. Reed had tried everything to expose her son's murderer, but the police had declared it suicide and that was that. She had heard of this Leverage company by a friend who worked at veterans hospital. She said they were very good at what they did, and she could trust them. Mrs. Reed, knowing her friend wasn't one to trust many, decided to give this Leverage company a try. As soon as she walked in she was welcomed by a woman who introduced herself as Sophie… with no last name. She was given a seat and asked to explain her story. Sophie nodded and kept quiet as she listened carefully.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Sophie said, her voice light with an accent. Just then, the front door opened, and shut. In walked a average sized man in a suit. He was going straight for the kitchen, when he caught Sophie and Mrs. Reed in the meeting room. He changed his coarse abruptly and took a seat next to Sophie.

"Nathan… this is Mrs. Reed." Sophie said, "Mrs. Reed, this is Nathan. The head of our… cooperation's." Nathan gave a side glance at Sophie before he shook hands with Mrs. Reed.

"Well Mrs. Reed what can we do for you?" Nathan asked.

"Like I was telling Sophie here… my son, Jason Reed, was trying to pick up where his father left off. Taking care of the house, the food, costs of everything… and me where his top priority. He was 24 years old and insisted on taking his father's place. He was upset when he found the debt his father left us in. So naturally he took a loan. Just until he got a call from his boss about his raise. A week later, a man named Anthony Miles called and asked for his 8 million back…" Mrs. Reed paused.

Nathan's expression was intently worried, his sharp brown eyes making her uncomfortable in her seat. Every time she had said 8 million, whomever she was talking to, would chuckle or drop their jaw at the amount of money owed. So when Sophie said nothing, and just continued to look genuinely interested, she was surprised. And as Nathan didn't even blink, she began to feel more comfortable in her decision about this company.

"And you did not have that kind of money." Sophie said, urging her to go on.

"No. We didn't. My son went to meet with Miles, and he never came back. When I identified my son…" Mrs. Reed stuttered, and stopped, feeling the tears threatening to come on again. She pulled a tissue out and tried to breath.

"Here." Came a new voice. Mrs. Reed looked up. A tall skinny black man had come into the room with a steaming mug in his hands, "It helps." He said handing it to her.

"Thank you." Mrs. Reed said, then turned back to Nathan and Sophie to continue.

"When I identified my son… his ring was gone… a ring worth exactly 8 million dollars and twenty three cents."

"Why didn't you use the ring to get the money?" Nathan asked. Mrs. Reed had to crack a shy smile.

"That ring as been in our family for fourteen generations, and it's the only thing he has left of his father. We wouldn't sell it even if we were living on the streets with only the clothes on our back for warmth."

"Anthony Miles… you said?" Sophie repeated. Mrs. Reed nodded, holding the mug close. "With all due respect. The 8 million was Miles to begin with and…"

"Alright… we'll get your 8 million back." Nathan interrupted. Mrs. Reed shook her head.

"No. Like Sophie said, it wasn't ours to begin with. I don't care for the money. I want that ring back. And I want it proved he murdered my son and him put behind bars."

The man named Nathan broke into a smile.

"We'll do it." He said.

Twelve minutes later

"Anthony Miles, owner of 'Acting it Out' a company that randomly came up with millions to spend about eleven years ago." Alec Hardison explained to his team sitting around in the couches, "Now it's a successful company in a building downtown, attracting all sorts of broke actors and amateur actors with money ready to spend to get famous. Miles is there to collect it, give em a few lessons and claim their good enough for Vegas. Anybody who tries to rip him off, or can't pay him is found on the streets or in a black bag."

"A black bag? What they couldn't find a better hiding place?" Parker asked.

"It means they're dead." Eliot retorted, giving Parker the usual 'are you seriously that dumb?" look.

"Authorities got a few complaints," Hardison went on, "and a few brought in convincing evidence that Miles money didn't just 'appear' or was 'honestly earned' like he claims. So a total of twelve separate investigations went on, all ending up with dead ends, no leads… and a richer Miles."

"Alright, so this guy is giving loans, and asking for the money back with interest. Those that can't pay, get some goons sent after them." Sophie siad.

"Or they get sacked." Eliot added, "This guy is a pro if he's getting that rich that quick, and authorities found nothing."

"What's your point?" Nathan asked.

"He won't send 'some goons.' These guys will be retrieval artists. He's smart, he's rich, he's protected... we gotta stay underground with these guys."

"You mean like disguises?" Parker asked, "As in I can't just break in and take the ring?"

"No. Eliot's right. We send Parker in that only takes care of part one… we get the ring. Part two is getting Miles to fess up about what happened at his meeting with Jason Reed. Parker goes in there and we scare Miles off, he'll get smart and move out on us." Nate explained.

"Alright, so we go undercover." Sophie stated.

"Yes. We find where Miles might keep the ring." Nate said, "When we got what we need for part two we'll uncover his bloody hands and in the rush and crowds it causes we'll snatch the ring."

"Kill two birds with one stone." Eliot said.

"I'm not killing any birds." Parker spoke up, "That's inhumane."

"You're one to talk." Eliot muttered.

"Alright… let's get to it. Sophie… how's your assurance and persuasion?" Sophie smiled, "Good, let's go steal us a reporter's mob."


	4. The job begins

Anthony Miles sat in one of the seats in the theater. He was a middle aged man, dressed in wealthy clothes and expensive shoes. His brown hair was combed back revealing his long face, high cheek bones and deep set eyes. The rest of the chairs around were empty, save a few walk in's that scattered around to watch the try outs.

Miles checked off the name that had just preformed. A very good actor, and he seemed like the kind who would concentrate on his character so hard, that he really did become that character. But he was also very dumb. Just his type.

The next actress came on, a woman by the name of Katrina Berg.

"Alright go ahead." Miles said, already spotting a rich profit on stage with all her gems and diamonds.

"And so I pray…" the woman started her monologue, when she was rudely interrupted as the doors to the theater opened. Miles growled to himself and stood up. As he turned around he found the person who had interrupted was another woman. She wore a fur coat, and a short black skirt. Short brown hair framed her face, her eyes hidden behind round sunglasses. She paid no attention to all the eyes that had turned her way, and was completely oblivious to the rudeness she had supplied.

She took a seat near the middle of the back and sat down without a word. Miles glared, but the woman seemed not disturbed. Miles sat down and waved the actress to continue.

"And so I pray to you, will you not show me mercy? I have loved thee…" the woman was interrupted again, this time by loud noices coming from outside the theater. Miles looked back. Through the windows of the theater, which happened to be almost the entire back wall, a small crowd could be seen running down the sidewalk. The crowd, was looking this way and that, as if looking for someone, and as they did, Miles saw the camera's on one's shoulder, and around another's neck. A reporter's voice recorder was seen in three hands, and notebooks occupied the others. Miles saw the woman in the back shift and sink a little lower in her chair. The small group of reporter's took on in another direction before silence finally fell in the theater.

Miles, hesitated ignoring the woman clearing her throat on stage. His interest was now the woman in the back. Who was she? She looked rich. And with the reporter's after her… Miles smiled seeing only a profit. He stood up straitening his coat.

"Thank you mrs…" he forgot her name, 'We'll take a break and continue in ten minutes." Miles siad. The woman on stage frowned, but walked off in a huff. Miles turned back around and started up the aisle.

"Hello." Miles said, "I'm Anthony Miles. I own this building."

"Well isn't that lovely." The woman said, her voice heavy with a russian accent.

"I couldn't help but notice you were uncomfortable when the reporters went by. You looking for a place to hide?" Miles asked. The woman looked up at him, and pulled her sunglasses off. It was Sophie. But to Miles, it was a beautiful, rich woman.

"Indeed I am. My name is Anastasia Petrov. Anna to my friends." She held out her hand. Mile took it lightly and kissed it delicately on the top. Sophie smiled, and pulled her shoulders up.

"My, a charmer at last. I haven't found one of those in years." Sophie said.

"Well Anastasia, you may stay here as long as you like." Miles said.

"Please, call me Anna. And I'm afraid I cannot. I left my estate looking for something and I must find it before the week is out." Sophie siad.

"Well might I ask what it is? Maybe I can help you." Miles gave her a kind, smile, but she knew it was a fake. He was just after money. That's what Nate told her to use as bait. Money.

"Oh that is very nice of you, but I don't think I'll get much help from anybody. You see, my production is looking for specific agents to work for their industry…"

"Production?" Miles repeated.

"Yes… my movie production. I am a producer." Miles blinked, amazed at the possibility that had walked through his doors.

"Well, you know Anna, this is a good place to start. Actors of all kind come through here. Actors and their agents. They come through me first of course, so I manage all the paperwork."

"Do you know? Well, I do say I have quite a stroke of luck. Trying to hide from reporters, and find myself right where I need to be. Almost like it was meant to be." Sophie said.

"Yes... now, shall we?" Miles stepped aside and brushed his hand in the direction of his office. Sophie gave him a smile, and began down the aisle.


	5. So it begins

Meanwhile Nate was

Meanwhile Nate was watching, and listening to their conversation. The ear buds would catch even a whisper from far away, thanks to their hacker, Alec hardison. He was one of the best, considering he had done it since high school. He had hacked into the NSA, CIA, and FBI tracking systems for their leverage operations.

"All right now, Sophie you have him on lead. If he starts to get edgy, you know what to do. Make sure he takes the bait, and remember, money is what makes him move."

"Check this out. My web crawlers just crawled over something stinky." Hardison said, his fingers a blur over the keyboard, "He's been shipping out merchandise such as props, and manufacturing materials to big shot companies all around the world."

"Seems normal to me. " Nate said, leaning over Haridson's shoulder and peeking in the screen.

"Ya, will anything normal ain't normal. It didn't make sense to me for a small scale place like Mile's company to be shipping out to these companies. Even if they did have a lot of money, Miles would have moved into a bigger building, reconstructed, at least pain that horrible blue back stage a color that doesn't clash with the curtains."

"Hardison…" nate said, trying to get him to the point.

"A'right, look. I dug a little deeper. It's a perfect cover up. Miles makes millions off of these actors, who help pay their tuition by making props and making sure supplies are ready to ship. What they don't know… is that all of it is fake. They're using low class tools, materials, cheapest things Miles can find that will still pass as outstanding."

"So Miles is making money off the actors, and have the actors make him bogus merchandise to sell for high prices to the big companies, to get more money." Nate repeated.

"Dang, this guy is money hungry. I'm a thief… and I find that disturbing."

"Eliot, Parker where are you?"

"I'm in position." Parker answerd.

"I've BEEN in position."

"Alright, don't make a move unless tell you to Eliot. Parker, see what you can find behind stage. Hardison pulled up the blueprints, and it looks like something is there."

"On it." Parker's voice came.

"Don't engage anybody or anything." Nate said.

"Yes, let's engage the actors." Eliot muttered into the earpiece, "Do you think we're amatures?"

"No Eliot I think you might mistake a hit-man for one of the actors because that's their cover there." Nate said. There was silence for a while.

"Oh." Eliot finally said.

"Ya oh, listen this isn't a trip to the theater department. This guy has got some help… some tough mean kind of help."

"The kind with big bicepts." Parker added.

"Parker… get into his office. Slid the USB into the port in his computer." Nate said.

"It's in." Parker's voice came over.

"Eliot, where's our target?" Nate asked.

"Still with our decoy heading for the lobby." Eliot said, "I've got about four big brutes watching them from every direction."

"Stay on your toes their could be more." Nate warned.

"Loading the information." Haridson said, his fingers alive on the keyboard, "Wa-ho… this guy's been busy! Looks at this, two firewalls, six home-style crypts, and a butt load of passwords. Man this would take days to get through and sort through to find what I want…"

"Hardison…" Nate warned.

"WOULD… I said WOULD take me days. It's high class stuff that's normally impossible to get through. It's a whole lot of cyberspace, and even more IMPoSSIBLE. I mean even the FBI's best man would have a hard time, maybe taking a day MINIMUM to get to if he worked twenty four seven without getting tired or straining his eyes."

"So how long?" Nate asked

"I'm already in." Hardison said with a smile, "Looks like this guys got some sort of side business. Making more money then usually lately."

"Side business? Then there's more people working under him then we may think. Parker, Eliot what's their security like?"

"He's got two camera's in each room, but a air duct that's practically BUILDING this place." Eliot answered.

"Which also makes it a maze." Parker's annoyed voice came in.

"I'm getting blueprints." Hardson said.

"They've got some kind of garage in the back." Eliot said, "And this place has got passwords to their doors… cameras in ever corner including down the alley, and a parked car with tinted windows down the street."

"That' s got to be one expensive car in that garage." Hardison muttered.

"Nathan… he left." Came Sophie's voice.

"What?" Nate froze, and Hardison looked back his fingers still.

"He's gone. He left. He got some text on his phone and he left." Sophie said, "I'm outside across the street."

"Alright, Eliot what's he twenty?" Nate asked.

"Heading for the office."

"I'm still in here!" Parker hissed into her ear piece.

"I got it." Eliot was quick to move, and soon there was a HUUfFFPPt over the earpiece.

"What the…" Miles voice was caught on Eliot's earpiece.

"Oh I'm so sorry about that." Eliot appoligized, "Hear let me help you, aw man it's all over…"

"What IS this?" Miles demanded.

"Crem-bru-la. It's a delicacy in Tiawan. Someone ordered it. I guess I'll have to refund." Eliot said.

"Yes you do that. And get ME a refund on a new suit." Miles voice was heard trailing off to his office. Eliot watched as Miles went inside after punching in a code to the side, and closed it without any alarm or sounds from inside."

"Alright, everyone head home." Nate said, "And Eliot, loose the catering suit, Parker, go straight as far as you can and get out from the grate ahead. It'll put you on the side ally street. Sophie, head back to the coffee shop and pay our reporting actors for a good job. Tell them their 'acting in the real world' test was passed with flying colors."


	6. Betrayal Revealed

"Alright Eliot, what's your status?" came Nathen's voice. Eliot was walking down the apartment hallway looking for the door.

"On my way…" Eliot knocked on the door. It opened and revealed Henry wearing a sweater vest and jeans, "You call about a connection problem?" Eliot asked.

"Wow that was fast Mr. ah…." Henry looked at the uniform tag on Eliot shirt, "Mr. Graves. Come on in." Henry stepped aside to let Eliot in, "Computer's over here."

"Oh… right." Eliot walked over to the computer on the living room coffee table and sat down, "Alright… let's see what the problem is." Eliot clicked and the screen flashed, "Alright, it looks like a simple connection problem. Do you have an internet modem somewhere?"

"Ah… ya…" Henry began to look around. He threw a few pillows off the chair and began to look more cluttered and flustered… as if on the edge, "My daughter… is always moving it around… looking for the best place for a connection…"

"You have a daughter?" Eliot asked, surprised.

"Hardison…" Nathen spoke up.

"I'm on it." Hardison started on his computer.

"AH! Here it is." Henry pulled out the small box. Eliot walked over and unplugged the small box. He blew out the dust and then plugged it back in.

"Alright, give it about fifteen seconds and we plug it back in and you should be good." Eliot said.

"And I won't have lost any work?" Henry asked.

"None." Eliot promised with a smile.

"Hey Dad…." Came a female voice down the hall. Eliot looked over to see Ally standing in the hallway, "Who's this?"

"The electrician… he came to fix the problem with my computer.

"Oh.. ok… well lunch is done…" Ally turned and went back down the hall. Eliot quickly slipped a small card into the computer's port and clicked a few times on the computer.

"Alright… there you go. Should be up and running in a few mintues." Eliot said standing up.

"Really? That's it? Wow thank you."

"Yep. Now if I can just have you sign here… I'll be off." Henry pulled a pen from his pocket and signed. Eliot left without trouble.

Back at Leverage headquarters, Hardison was pulling up all the files on Henry's computer.

"Alright, we've got records. Every contract signed by the buyers, supplies and admirers We got history files, records, data bases, off shore accounts all under Mile's name… woah…"

"What?"

"Check this. Our little friend…. Has got a hidden, and zipped file… where Miles has no access to it."

"Open it." Nate demanded.

"Chill… I already did. Alright we've got… holy…"

"Everyone back here now." Nate said over the ear piece, "ASAP, I want everyone back here in ten minutes. we're in a little deeper then we thought.

"Why, what'd you find?" Sophie asked as she slipped away from the auditorium of Miles company.

"Henry's searching in top secret classifieds… meaning a few things." Nate said.

"One, he's got computer skills we don't know about, two he's working something we don't know about, and three, he's not the person we thought he was." Hardison said. "This guy is working and ripping government files like baid-aids. Research from government facilities, library's, internet… he's got enough information to suggest he's been working his project for at least a few years…"

"A lot longer then he's been working for Miles…" Nate said, "Our friend Henry may give us something."

A few minutes later, the leverage team had gathered in the meeting room, Parker coming in last and Sophie with a a big mug of coffee. Parker pulled a chair out by Eliot, then walked around to Sophie and sat down. For a moment, Eliot thought to take it personally, but then realized it was Parker and shook it off. Nate waited for everyone to settle in before speaking.

"Alright, our friend Henry, has got some very interesting information…. About government officials and government projects underground. He's also been watching the black market very closely. This could mean he's trying to backstab Miles."

"Henry?" Eliot said, "Look, I don't mean to be skeptical, but the guy didn't look like the mean material. I mean he had a daughter for heavens sake."

"And no mother, disappeared when the daughter was seven." Hardison said.

"So maybe Henry's trying to pick up jobs for money and found a job that pays enough."Sophie said.

"Ya… but two people, living in a apartment buildings, no money for the girl's collage, barely enough to pay off the braces and schooling, living on the money Miles gives them every month?" Nat asked, "no, no. That money is going somewhere… and it's this research right here. Whatever it is, it's not paid directly by Miles, so there's a really good chance Miles doesn't know about it."

"You think… Henry is going to con Miles?" Eliot asked. Nate nodded.

"Why not? He's second in command in the bogus prop industry, all he has to do, is buy Miles out and he's suddenly in charge. Miles may not like it, but he can't do anything about it. His thugs in play will attract the attention he's trying to avoid." Nate explained.

"Ya… but that's publicly… Miles will do it behind a certain." Eliot said, "Make it look like an accident."

"That's why Henry won't last long." Nate said. Hardison starred at him.

"But… Henry's got family… a daughter…" he said.

"Once Henry's out of the way, she'll go into foster care." Nate said. Sophie licked her lips and looked around at her family.

"Lost her mother at seven, no collage education, and now looses her father and home." Sophie said loud and clear to let everyone here. All their faces said the same thing: they didn't like it. They didn't want it to happen. Sophie leaned forward and caught Nate's glance.

"Nate, let me talk to Henry. I'll convince him not to betray Miles. I can stop him from throwing his life away." Sophie said. Nate shook his head.

"No, no. there's to many factors here, to many risks. We haven't even gone through his research yet." Nate said.

"Yes but by the time we factor them out it will be to late." Eliot said, "Nathan, come on."

"Nate, man, look. I know we got the little missing pieces to figure out… but this is what we do. We help people when the law ditches them." Haridson said, "We have a chance to help Henry and his daughter, and we're gonna dismiss it?" Nate looked at Hardison. For once, he had a serious look on his face, although his eyes were round and his head slighting downward giving him the look of 'are you for real?' Nate looked around at everyone. Parker was swinging back and forth on her chair, playing with a strand of her hair, while Sophie and Eliot starred at him with almost a glare. Nate put his hands up.

"You guys are willing to jeopardize this job for someone who might even be in on it?" they all nodded.

"For one woman, I understand she wants her ring back. We can still do it without Miles. But a life you can't steal back." Sophie said. Nate sighed.

"Alright… fine. But we won't do this carelessly. You will do as I say when I say to do it. If I say abandon mission, you better haul your butt outta where ever you are, and we forget about bringing Miles down and just steal the ring like common thieves."

"yes!!" Parker smashed a fist in the air her eyes alight, "I call dibs on stealing the ring!" Eliot rolled his eyes.

"Sophie I want you to go see Henry right now. He's on his way to his office in Miles building. Stop him before he gets there. Eliot you take her, watch her back for our acting brutes. Parker I want eyes on Miles, Hardison and I will try to look over some of this guys' research." Nate instructed everyone to their jobs, and by the time he was done, everyone was on their feet and moving. They all took off, Hardison for the fridge to grab a bottle of orange soda. Sophie was the last one to leave. She stopped at the door, and pulled the fur in close around her neck before looking back at Nate.

"Thank you." She said. Nate gave a nod with a 'ya whatever' look.


	7. Confronting Henry

"Sophie, tell me your in position." Nate came.

"I am." Sophie's voice came. She was standing on the corner of the street, wearing jeans and black Siemon coat and tennis shoes. She knew she didn't want to look intimidating at all if she was going to confront Henry.

"Alright, look for a Valkswagon, brown, License plate number ending in 4P. That's Henry's. Now, when you approach him, make sure he knows we're on his side, even if you have to play bad guy." Nathen said.

"Nate no offense, but I don't think he's as bad as your thinking him out to be." Sophie said.

"Sophie, this is a man who files reports to rip people off. He works for a man who killed our clients son. He's working in secret in government files, and he's trying to stab Miles in the back. That tells me one thing… this guy can't be trusted. He lies and he sneaks around."

"Isn't that what we're doing?" Parker's voice came over the ear piece.

"For different reasons." Nate assured everyone, "Parker, where are you?"

"Where? I'm up. Up in the vents, right above Mile's office." She said. In fact she was in the vents. Dressed in her usual black outfit, her hair tucked under her black hat. She was laying on her stomach looking through a vent to a desk below. She rested her chin on her arms, waiting.

"Your not inside yet?" Nate asked.

"No. I'm waiting for Hardison to shut off the security wire around the vent so I can get in." Parker said.

"Hardison?"

"I'm TRYING!" came Hardison's annoyed voice, "Everyone wants something from me! Hardison do this, Hardison do that. Nate, your gonna have to wait for me to encrypt those files. Eliot, your order of security feed is on hold, and Sophie here comes your man. NOW, I can work on the security for Parker. Cheeze guys I'm not superman."

"Geek… your super geed." Eliot muttered, "Superman ain't black."

"You being racist?" Hardison asked back in a hotty tone.

"Hardison!" Nate warned.

"What! Security's done! Parker should be in. I already started encrypting the files. I MULTITASK. Bet Superman can't do THAT."

"Parker?"

"I'm in."

"Sophie you got him?"

"Target acquired." Sophie said, aproching Henry. He was stuffing papers in a briefcase and trying to walk at the same time.

"Henry?" Sophie spoke up. Henry looked up but kept walking.

"oh, sorry. I don't do business on the streets. If you're here for an appointment with Mr. Miles, you have to wait in line and talk to the secretary."

"No… I'm not here for the acting classes." Sophie said.

"Work then? We're not hiring. Our actors pay us by working for us. Kind of a scratch your back kind of thing." Henry said.

"No… I'm here about you. I walk to talk." Sophie said.

"I'm sorry…" Henry started walking again, "You'll have to make an appointment. I'm very busy."

"It's about your research… and your daughter." Sophie said. Henry stopped, without turning around.

"My research?" he repeated. He turned around, and walked right up into Sophie's face, 'What do you know about that?"

"Eliot get eyes on Sophie." Nate ordered when he heard Henry's voice.

"On it." Eliot came back.

"Henry…." Sophie continued, "I know it's a secret… I know your plans to…"

"Shhh…" Henry hushed her, raising a hand and looked around. Then he looked back at her, "Don't talk here. Come with me."

"Eliot they're on the move. Get eyes on them fast." Nate said. Eliot changed his route, almost knocking into one of the brutes, holding a box.

"Watch it!" Eliot hissed.

"You watch it meat head!" the brute said back. Eliot frowned.

"Eliot move fast!" Nate repeated in his ear.

"You…" the brute said, "Owe me an apology." Eliot rolled his eyes and turned around. One swing and Eliot was back on route.

"Man… do you ALWAYS just HIT things when they don't go your way? I mean, someone bothers you, you hit them. Someone taps you and says something mean, you hit them. They pull a gun, you don't stop and consider they think YOU'RE THE bad guy. You don't get your pop tart you hit the dang vending machine!" Hardison was nagging again in Eliot's ear… as always. And as always, Eliot tried his best to ignore him.

"Henry please I just want to talk. I don't mean you any harm." Sophie said. Henry said nothing, guiding Sophie my the hand, dodging through the building and into his office. He looked both ways before shutting the door and locking it.

"Eliot! I'm getting a litte deep in here!" Sophie whispered as Henry locked the door.

"I'm on my way Sophie just hang on." Eliot said. There was no way he would let anything bad happen to Sophie. She was part of the family. And if anything DID happen to her… Henry wouldn't have time to regret it.

"You know about my research?" Henry asked, turning towards Sophie, "You're… you're not with the government are you?"

"No…" Sophie said. Henry relaxed.

"Good.. good… what do you want?" Henry stepped forward, and Sophie stepped back. The Henry stepped back, his hands up. "No… no, no. I'm not going to hurt you I promice. I'm… not that kind of person. Please, can you help me?" Sophie looked at him.

"Sophie you say yes he can move in… Eliot won't get there in time." Nate said in her ear. But Sophie saw the look in Henry's eyes. He was an honest man.

"Look, I have a daughter… I know you have an earbud... you work for someone. Please. Don't hurt my daughter. I'm just trying to find my wife…"

"I'm not going to arrest you." Sophie said.

"Alright Eliot, slow down. Don't move in. He's backing off and I don't want to blow your cover if we don't have to. But stay close." Nate said.

"Trying to find your wife?" Sophie repeated.

"Yes… my research… it's all…" Henry stopped interrupted but a loud knock on the door.

"Henry… we got a IP appointment. Henry you in there?" came a voice outside the office.

"Ya, I'm coming." Henry said loudly, then turned to Sophie and continued in a smaller voice, "Look, if you can help me, meet me at warehouse 12 8;00 tonight. We can talk there." Henry unlocked the door and left, greeting a tall skinny man outside his office.

"Nate?" Sophie said.

"Hardison?" Nate said.

"I'm trying. These codes are freaky good. I'm trying everything I swear. But something this boxed up can't just be information LOOKING for his wife." Hardison said.

"Depends who his wife is." Nate said, "She could be the reason he's backstabbing Miles."

"Only problem. His wife is Amelia Parker. She's dead."

"What? Does HE know that?" Nate asked.

"Look, I can hack the computer world, I can't hack a guys brain, how am I suppose to know that?"

"I'll go to the warehouse this evening. I'll ask him about his wife. AND talk to him about his plans behind Miles."

"Alright. Parker, get those files from Henry's office. He's managing everying for Miles and he'll have a list of everything. We'll find information about the ring. Eliot, make sure no one goes in his office while Parker's working. Sophie, take the car and pick them up when they're done. Head back here."

"Got it." Sophie said.

"Already in." Parker reported.

"Aw man…" Eliot muttered, seeing the brute he'd hit earlier spot him and head his direction.

"YOU." The brute said, flexing his biceps. Eliot peeked around the corner. No one there. He peeked around the curtain on stage. The last man was leaving. No one around. He turned around and faced the brute. SMACK!!

"You see!" Hardison yelled in the earpiece, "You see what I mean! One problem and WHAM. It's face meet fist with you boy."

"Hardison if you got a problem with me you just need to…" Eliot started.

"Oh go hit somebody." Hardison said.

"No problem." Eliot said back, "Where are YOU?"

"Guys!" Nate intercepted, "Move!" Eliot scowled, and kept moving. Hardiosn muttered something, and decided to try a new code to break the research.


	8. Recap

Exactly forty six minutes later, all five members of Leverage, were back in their seats, looking at the screen on the wall, showing Miles face and his credit record. Sophie was resting her elbow on the chiar arm, in deep thought, tapping her cheek. Eliot was flexing his hand, which had hit hard bone twice in the last hour. Hardison was simply going over records on his computer, and Parker was playing with a rubber band, slouching in her chair. All of them were waiting on Nate to make his entrance, which he did a few mintues later.

"Alright, recap! Our goal, get the ring, put Miles behind bars. Miles has got a phony business giving out loans and has and acting production as a cover up, which he also use to make bogus props to make MORE money. Henry, they guy who manages both the production and the props, has records where the ring will be, but is recently found suspicious with classified files he's not suppose to have. Henry is also about to turn on Miles. If he does that, we loose our window of opportunity. Miles go bankrupt, takes what he can and disappears, while Henry takes over and reroutes the business and we loose both the ring and Miles."

"Um… Nate?" Hardison spoke up. Nate looked up. Hardison had a funny look on in his eye, starring at the computer. He leaned slowly back in his chair, his fingers frozen in the air. His breathing came with difficulty.

"Hardison? What?" Nate said.

"It's.. um… the research… ya up… it's… I can't…" hardison was stuttering, unable to get the words out.

"Hardison!" Elito snapped. Hardison flinched, but he still stuttered.

"I… I have some… some bad news…" Hardison was able to say.

"Ya… what is it?" Eliot asked, an annoyed tone peeking through.

"I just… it's all… I can't…" Hardison stuttered again.

"He can't break the research." Parker said, snapping the rubber band. Nate blinked. Eliot raised his eyebrows. Nate took a seat on the other end of the table, leaning forward, his hands folded in front of him.

"Say again?" Nate said. Hardison blinked, and looked at him.

"I… am… officially… beat." Hardison said, "Someone… found a way to re-code anything I Un-code. I decipher the mainframe… and then suddenly it re-codes itself in an entirely different system."

"Can't you just uncode it till it runs out of codes?" Eliot asked.

"No… " Hardison licked his lips.. "I'll just go round about…. And start over…. I need a drink." Hardison poured himself a tall glass of orange soda, leaning heavily on the table.

"SO Henry coded everything?"

"Ya… It's high class stuff…" Harddison said.

"Can you work on it? Can you break it Hardison?" Nate asked. Hardison looked at him, and finished off his drink in one gulp.

"I… I can… but…"

"BUT WHAT?" Sophie pushed, getting annoyed with the slow stutters.

"I'm going to need some time… and funds… there's a device I can get…but…"

"Get it."

"It's not that easy. You can't just tell someone to just GET IT. It's blacker and darker than the black market. I mean, the only reason I know about is because… never mind. Just know that it gave me nightmares… and still does."

"Alright, Parker, I want to bug Henry's office and home. I want to know answers whether or not Henry tells them to Sophie tonight. Harrison's going to get on the devise to crack his code. Eliot, trail Miles and snoop out the warehouse… see if you can find any files on the ring or his shipping receipts. Anything useful in his office and home. Everyone good?" everyone nodded except Sophie. "Good, now MOVE."

Everyone left but Sophie.

"You ok?" Nate asked.

"It's Henry." Sophie said.

"What about him?"

"It's just… he has a daughter and he said he's looking for his wife and if that's true it's a desperate search. I don't think he's the kind of man we think he is." Sophie said.

"That crossed my mind. But then I didn't understand why he's doing business with Miles… he knows what's behind the curtain. And he's backstabbing Miles."

"We don't know that."

"Well we will. When you talk to Henry… ask about his wife and his research…. And…"

"Nate… If Henry backstabs Miles, Miles is the kind of guy who will go for his daughter first. Henry knows that."

"Let's hope he does." Nate said.

That night, Sophie was re-thinking over the plan of escape in case Henry turned out to be a con. She slowly paced back and forth, her black heels clicking. She wore a long black coat and mentally slapped herself for not bringing something warmer. It was a WAREHOUSE. They didn't have HEATERS. When she reviewed the escape plan for the fifth time, she began to listen to Nate talking to the others in her earbud. Parker had planted bugs all over the apartment, and said that Henry had left five minutes ago. He was already late. Every time Nate question Eliot and his ware a bouts, he was on task and moving fast. Eliot was scoping the warehouse for brutes, and was there for backup as part of the exit plan. Finally, after checking up with everyone, Nate zoned in to Sophie.

"He should be there any second." Nate said, "You ok?"

"Dandy." Sophie said.

"Alright, a car just pulled up." Eliot said, "Henry's coming in." a few seconds later, Sophie heard the door open and Henry peeked his head open. He was dressed in jeans and a button down shirt, with a pair of glasses in the pocket. He come over and held out his hand.

"Sorry for meeting in such a dirty place. I would have invited you to my home but… how bout a proper introduction? I'm Henry." He said.

"I know… I'm…" Sophie began but Henry held up his hand.

"The less I know the better. I see the earbud, I know you work for someone." He said.

"It's really for my own safety. We don't know who you are yet." Sophie said. Henry nodded.

"I understand. But if I may ask, how do you know about my research?" he asked.

"Alright, tell him, but no details." Nate told Sophie.

"We know Miles is into some funny business. So we did background checks on his employers… and you. Your classifieds caught our attention." Sophie said.

"I see." Henry nodded, his face solemn.

"Henry… can I ask a few questions? About your wife?"

"My research?"

"Yes… do you know… she's…um…" Sophie paused trying to find a way to break it to him.

"Dead?" he said. Sophie looked at him surprised, "Yes I know that what it says… but she's not. Supposedly she died two years before she contacted me."

"She contacted you? After proclaimed dead?"

"Yes… look I don't know who you are either, so I can't give you details… I don't know who to trust. I have a daughter to look after…"

"We're trying to help you and your daughter Herny."

"Ya… that's what they said right before they took my wife." Herny said darkly.

"You know if you backstab Miles, he'll go after your daughter." Sophie said bluntly. Henry paused, his face momentarily flustered and baffled.

"No… he doesn't know about my daughter. No one does. I make sure of that. But the backstabbing part… I just needed a few extra funds… I just needed to sell the ring and I would be…"

BANG!

A loud crack set off and something ricocheted off above their heads. Someone was shooting at them! Henry and Sophie ducked, and ran for cover.

"Sophie you hit?" came Eliot's voice in a rythem as if he was running.

"No… I'm fine." Sophie said, as three more shots rang off.

"Back door Sophie!" Nate yelled. Sophie moved fast and out the back door where Eliot pulled a car to a screeching stop. She got in and Eliot took off.

"Well that went well." Sophie muttered, "What just happened."

"Miles showed up…" Nate said after gathering information from Hardison and Eliot confirming license plates, "Henry must have already backstabbed Miles. He sold the ring and Miles found out Henry is dealing is loads of money behind his back. Miles shows up and tries to kill him.

"The shot came from the north end of the warehouse. There's no way Sophie was seen. I scoped out any sniper spots and put Sophie in the blind spot. Her cover is still good." Eliot said. Sophie looked at Eliot.

"Thanks." She said. Eliot smiled.

"So what is Henry going to do now?" Parker said.

"He said no one knows about his daughter… that means she's safe for now. But he's left out in the open… he's going to have to lay low." Sophie said.

"He's going to have to lay VERY low if he want's to avoid Miles." Nate said, "Miles get down and dirty if he's going to hunt someone down. The only thing he could possibly avoid him completely is if he's dead."


	9. Not a good day

"Nate…" Hardison called to the leader. He had a lot to do to get this devise to crack this code. He had asked many times why he had to crack this code, if it was just a bunch of research to find Henry's wife, in which Nate answered with 'I have a hunch'.

"This had better be good." Nate's voice came. He was in a meeting with Sophie and Miles as they discussed the preparations of their new movie, and mostly about the profit Miles would be getting. Nate had graciously excused himself to talk to Hardison.

"Ya… I've been going over some of the camera feed from Henry's apartment. There's a bunch of files on his desk with interesting labels. I need those files."

"Is Henry home?" Nate asked.

"Nope… he's gone and his daughter should be out for a while… left after stuffing a backpack full of clothes. A sleep over or something." Hardison said.

"Parker, take care of the files." Nate said.

"Aw, but I enjoying watching an amateur trying to break into Henry's office." Parker said… "ya, ya I'm on it."

"Nate…" Eliot said, "I just got a heads up. Miles is missing 8 mill from his account… he's been keeping track of his money behind Henry's back… he knows Henry took the ring."

"That's what tipped him off and he came and attempted to shoot him." Nate said. Just then Miles came out of the office with Sophie. They shook hands and Miles returned to his office. Sophie came over.

"He's a little nervous about the offer. He's uncertain." Sophie said.

"That means he probably has a better deal." Nate said.

"Or he sees the con." Hardison muttered.

"Class half full Hardison." Nate said, "Parker?"

"Breaking in now." Parker said.

"Right. Guys were're on a tight shift. We need that ring." Nate said.

"What was that?" Parker's voice came over the intercom.

"What?"

"We have a problem… someone's in the apartment." Parker said.

"Did you see who it was?" Hardison asked.

"NO I didn't see who it was!" Parker whispered, "You were suppose to warm me if anyone was coming! Dang it!"

"Hang on, hang on I'll fix it!" hardison said.

"ya you better fix it." Parker said.

"Parker get the files and get out." Nate said.

"The desk was empty!... " she stopped…"It was the girl! I thought you said his daughter was going to be out!"

"What do you mean the files aren't there? They have to be." Hardison said.

"I'm telling you his desk is empty. There is nothing in his office. Someone got there before me!"

"Well get them back from whoever took them!" Sophie chimed in.

"What am I suppose to do, track down Miles and ask for the files? Ya… uh huh… tha'll…" Parker stopped in mid sentence, and everyone was quiet. SO quiet, that everyone heard a female voice

"Ya I have a break in Brinham's apartments top floor room 412."

"Oh crap." That 'oh crap did not sound good.

"The daguther called the cops!" Hardison said.

"Parker! GET OUT! GET OUT NOW! MOVE PARKER!" Nate yelled in her earbud. There was a crash of glass, and then it was quiet.

"I'm out… and no files." Parker said, "I'm heading back now… police will show up soon."

"Alright, good…" Nate stopped. Miles had come out of his office and was heading directly toward them, his eyes dark.

"Ah! Mr. Miles! Did you reconsider our deal?" Nate asked.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but notice… and I have a question for you?"

"Well go ahead." Nate said.

"Who hired you?" Miles asked.. Nate blinked. What?

"Excuse me?" Nate said.

"Who hired you? Was it Douglas? Or Ames? Or Jackson perhaps? I know your deal is bogus… I know it's a con but for who and to what purpose remains a mystery. I quit enjoyed myself though. I almost fell for it to."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't." Miles said, "That's why your professionals."

"I must say Miles, you…" Nate started, but Miles interrupted.

"I can't talk here… to many ears here. But take this." Miles handed over a piece of paper with a place and time written on it, "Meet me here. We'll discuss what you're after… and how much your boss is paying you. I can assure you I can give you a better offer."

"I…" Nate stammered, Miles held up his hand.

"I insist. Professionals like yourselves should not be underpaid. And trust me, it'll be worth your while if you come." Miles said. He shook hands with Nate and left.

"Well that was… subtle." Sophie breathed.

"Ya… almost like he was HAPPY we were conning him." Eliot said suddenly appearing behind the curtains.

"Thanks for the back up Eliot." Nate said sincerely. Eliot shrugged.

"Um… guys?" Hardison came over the earbuds.

"Ya?" Nate came in.

"We got another problem…" Hardison said.

"This just isn't our day." Sophie breathed.

"What is it?" Nate asked.

"Um… there was a bus crash on the news… some people were injured and two dead… Henry was one of them."


	10. Bomb

Nate was sitting on a crate, arms crossed. Again they were meeting in a warehouse… waiting for Miles. Sophie was with him. Eliot was somewhere, hidden, and off watching for brutes that might be troublesome. Sophie was pacing back and forth. The news of Henry's death made her even more worried… worried for Henry's daughter. Nate frowned. Something was missing. This whole con started to retrieve an 8 million dollar ring. Then they made it their job to get the ring… and put Miles behind bars where he belonged. But then the ring went missing. It was missing because Henry, the manager of the bogus cooperation, had taken it to make money off of it to fund his research project… that was government CLASSIFIED. But Miles saw it as a backstab in play. Miles wanted Henry dead… and then Henry died in a crash. Did Miles set the crash up? Was it rigged? He didn't know. He told Hardison to look up the police report, who responed with giving Nate a choice: Decoding Henry's research, or police report. Police report was the answer. Nate still hadn't heard anything from him. Out of this whole puzzle that turned out to be quite complicated, Nate couldn't understand why he continued to think they were missing something. Missing a very big piece of the puzzle. But it was almost wrapped up! Maybe the answer was in Henry's research? He was searching for his wife right? So why was if government classified…. Why was she proclaimed dead and then contacted Henry her husband from the grave? Nate felt that the answer to this was the big thing they were missing… and it was dangerous piece to be missing.

Nate was interrupted from his thoughts as he heard footsteps. Two men were approaching, one dressed casually, and one dressed in a suit… Miles.

"Who's this?" Nate asked standing up. Miles smiled.

"That is of no importance to you. Just know he won't be bothersome."

"Business then?" Sophie said. Miles smiled and nodded. Miles causally reached into his jacket, and snapped out a gun, pointed straight at them. Sophie stepped back her heart skipping a beat. Nate stepped in front of her, holding his hands up.

"Hey whoa… what is this about?"

"Business. I'm not an idiot you know." Miles said, smiling, "I know you're working for Henry. That sly little thief. He was going to try to steal my money… steal everything I worked for! Not from me! Not from Miles. Now… where is the 8 million dollar ring… and I'm in no mood for tricks." Miles waved the gun.

"We don't have the ring." Nate said, 'I swear."

"Well if you don't have it… Henry does."

"Miles… Henry is dead. Even if we WERE working for him our job would be over…" Nate said, trying to keep cool. He hoped Eliot was on his way.

"Dead? Ha!" Miles laughed, 'He's perfectly alive and well…"

"He died in a crash this morning... I'm telling you the truth." Nate said.

"So am I." Miles said, "My friend here… is old friends with Herny…" Miles gestured at the man in casual clothes who had been standing with his hands in his pockets the whole time. He didn't look the least bit disturbed, and oddly quite comfortable with the situation, "My friend here tells me that he saw the crash on TV… and then Henry showed up at his door… asking for his help!"

"You didn't kill him?" Sophie spoke up behind Nate.

"No… but I will. After I kill you." Miles said. The gun clicked, "Henry was very smart. He would start his little plan to take me over… then fake his own death, and have his little backup crew finish me off! I Never would have seen it coming… quite brilliant. But fortunately for me I have a little luck… which is more I can say for you…"

"You can't shoot us… police will know it's a murder." Sophie said.

"Shoot you! HA!" Miles still held the gun, "I'm not going to shoot you. Boys!" Miles called over his shoulder. Suddenly three brutes stepped out from behind boxes where they had been hiding. They came over, one of them with ropes in his hand. They tied Sophie and Nate to metal chairs back to back. The man who was dressed casually knelt next to them with a box. As he set the box down, Nate saw it was a bomb.

"No evidence allowed…" Miles said. The man in casual clothes moved swiftly as he set the bomb up and timed it. Nate looked around. Where the heck was Eliot?

"Looking for your friend?" Miles said. Nate and Sophie tensed. He KNEW. Miles gave a nasty smile, just as three more brutes came around the corner, pushing Eliot roughly. His hands were tied and his lip was bleeding. Blood dripped from a nasty wound on his eyebrow. The brutes had Eliot by the arms and were pushing him around roughly.

"This is not good…" Hardison's voice came over the earbud. He was hearing the situation... and could only guess what was happening.

"Are we good Peter?" Miles asked. The man knelt down by the bomb stood up and dusted his hands off. He looked at Mile and nodded.

"Alright. Well nice knowing you Mr. Who ever you are. I wish we could talk some more… but our time as you can see is running out." Miles said motioning to the timer on the bomb which was counting down. Miles turned to the brutes who were holding Eliot.

"Tie him somewhere solid where he can take off. He will be joining his friends." Miles said, then turned to Nate, "Goodbye." Miles turned and left, Peter following with the first three brutes.

"Miles!" Nate yelled, 'Miles! There's got to be a better way! Come on! Let's talk about this!" Miles ignored him, and shut the door behind Peter.

Suddenly someone grabbed Nate's tied hands. He looked back. IT was Eliot… his hands were untied, and working fast at the ropes around Sophie's hands with a knife. Nate looked over at he brutes who used to be holding Eliot. He saw one of the one the ground, motionless, another one's foot was only visible from a pile of smashed crates, and again not moving. The third was nowhere to be seen but instead a large crate near where Eliot had been standing was locked shut… Nate could only guess where the third Brute was.

"Run!"Eliot hissed as he finished the ropes. Ten seconds left on the bomb, they all took off.

"Really Sophie? HEELS!" Eliot said as he noticed she was wearing high heeled shoes

"Really!" Sophie yelled back, and as if to add emphasis sped up, running just fine. They all ran to the back door. Outside was bright and warm… and they kept running.

KAAABBOOOOOMMM!

The Bomb went off, flinging all three of them forward. Then landed, and covered their heads. Nate's hand held Sophie's head down and he and Eliot protected her from any anonymous flying object that might come from the explosion. The explosion itself reached high in the sky and gave the obvious conclusion it would attract police.

"GUYS!" Haridosn yelled "GUYS TALK TO ME!"

"We're all good." Nate breathed. He looked over his shoulder. The warehouse was in flames part of it beginning to collapse.

"Oh!" Hardison's relieved voice came. He let out his breath, "Man… that scared me… oh man, oh man… oh man!"

"Parker, go back to Herny's old office. Miles said Henry still has the ring. Double check the room and storage unit. Eliot, take the car we came in… go straight to Henry's apartment. The electrician should be fine. Hardison, make some trouble with the electricity at Henry's house for Eliot, then bring a car to Alger street. Pick me up there. Sophie go with Eliot. Help him clean some of that blood up before he becomes and electrician. Double time everybody." Eliot nodded and started for the car, but did a double take. Movement caught his eye on the roofs.

"What the…" Eliot started.

"Eliot!" Sophie called already halfway to the car. Eliot turned, and hesitated, but then caught up.


	11. Apartment burned

POV CHANGE!

(Ally's POV)

I got back to my apartment. Long walks helped me think. NICE long walks. Or runs, I thought as I shut the door panting. I licked my lips… this cannot be good. Explosion… guns… secret files… I was in WAY over my head. I tried to remember anything could about my dad's work. Nothing. He was always locked up in his office… or at work. Work… WORK! I could visit where he worked! THEN I could find out some more about all of this! Yes! Then I could… wait what was I thinking! I WANTED to get mixed up in this? He was my DAD… I had to try to help.

Focus. My dad. I needed to research the address where he worked… then I would pay a visit. I started for my computer, when the lights in the apartment flickered, and suddenly it went dark.

"Aw man… dang it!" I hissed. I waited in the dark a few minutes, waiting for them to snap back on. Nothing. I sighed and went for the kitchen. I walked in the dark without hesitating and found the flashlight under the sink. I clicked it on, and went for the power box. I flipped the switches but nothing happened. I sighed.

"Lights are out on mainframe!" Came a call in the hallway, "Emergency lights will be on an a few minutes… do not use any electricity than what you need until they fix the problem… we have someone on their way now." It said. GOOD, I thought.

The emergency lights came on, and I flipped the flashlight off and put it away. I flopped down on the couch. Ok… what was I suppose to do now?

There was a knock on the door. I sat up.

"Electrician!" came the voice on the other side. I frowned. Already? He was already here? That was… un-naturally fast. I went to the door, and opened it a crack. I recognized him as the guy who fixed my dad's computer earlier. A rather buffed out guy to be a computer geek but whatever. I opened the door.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Um, ma'am we traced the problem to your apartment…" he said. I raised an eyebrow. Traced the problem to MY apartment? But I had hardly been home! I stepped aside anyway, looking him over.

"Come on in." I said, "Um… can I get you anything?" I asked.

"Um, actually ya… I just ran three streets to get here. Water would be great." He said.

"You RAN?" I repeated.

"They said it was an emergency," He answered, "We take our job seriously."

"Right… well I'll get you some water." I said, and turned around, as he went for the electric box. I went to the kitchen and pulled a glass down and began to fill it with water. My mind flashed.

The electrician… his face… things flashed through my head so quickly I couldn't keep up. His face was familiar… from where? He's the same guy who came to fix the computer before… but there was something else… I saw him somewhere else. And his face… there was something different? I shut my eyes and concentrated. His lip… his brow… covered very professionally with makeup… but it was there. The electrician had gotten into some kind of nasty fight. Did this… did he have something to do with all of this?

The cup overflowed, and I pulled back. I dried it off, thinking. What if… he was watching me… what if he bugged the computer…

I dried the glass off and left the kitchen. I was heading down the hall, when suddenly, my life took a turn… ya I said my LIFE took a turn. Because the moment I stepped out of my kitchen was the moment my life took a turn for the worst.

First, their was a knock on the door.

"Coming…" I called. But whoever was out there didn't wait. The door suddenly smashed open, the hinges coming clean off. I dropped the glass, and it shattered on the floor. Men started to file into my living room. Men all in the same kind of black suits… all of them with a specific smell… and ALL of them with guns. My eyes went wide.

"Hands in the air!" one shouted as a few guns were aimed at me, and the rest went down the hall. I raised my hands.

"What's going on?" I stammered.

"Are you Alison Parker?" a man asked. I blinked when he said my name. How did he know that? That feeling came again. The feeling that had been surging through me since I went after my dad. That feeling made me answer with a

"No." I said.

"What are you doing in this apartment?" the man asked.

"I…" my heart was racing. And the next few minutes turned to seconds. First, the Electrician came in smiling.

"I fixed the problem ma'am…" he started, but stopped when he saw the guns. Two of the three guns on me went to the Electrician.

"Who are you!" they yelled at him. My eyes flashed to the man's feet. He was standing on the rug… the coffee table also on the rug. I looked at the man holding the gun on my. His eyes… as soon as they moved… there! I kicked the rug up into my hands. I grabbed it firmly and yanked hard upwards. The coffee table flew at the man, and I took my chance. They left the door open and I jumped over the broken table and flustered man and cocked gun and out the door. I flew down the hall and down the stairs. Out the door and into the street. DOWN The street. I didn't stop running. I ran down Main street, past the bus station. I ran hard and fast. I ran faster every second. And every second tears came and pushed harder and harder to fall down my cheeks. I clenched my teeth.

The only reason I stopped, was because a racing fire-truck broke my path. My eyes followed it down the street, and in the distance a muddy cloud streaked the blue sky… my apartment… my apartment was burning. That's when the tears let loose. They came and they did not stop. I hid behind a restaurant and cried, hugging my knees. This… this couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening to ME. I needed my dad more than ever… I need someone with me… I just needed my dad. That was all I could think of. I just needed someone… but no one was there. I cried because that was the story of my life. My mom was there for me… but disappeared at young age, and then my dad stopped talking to me… always swamped by his work. I grew up by myself. Learned to cook and take care of myself. In fact I had my mom to thank for that. She told me that I was a fast learner, and taught me so many things. But she never taught me anything about this… about what to do in this situation. My dad… to find him I couldn't go to the police. Whoever made him disappear would find out through the police… and I didn't know who to go to… Peter! Peter was like my Uncle… he was my dad's best friend. If I could find anything about my dad's disappearance Peter would definitely be the fist to talk. Yes! I had to go there! Suddenly I could hear my mom's voice… saying one thing over and over. Stop, calm down, think things over. Again and again that phrase when through my head. The basic's my mom called them. But I agreed. I needed to sit down and calm down and think. So I did. I sat with my back against the dumpster and breathed.

I closed my eyes and calmed down. I started to think things through after my heart stopped beating so loudly. My house was gone. Why? Because of my dad? I had to assume so. But they went in with guns… wait! My mind flashed through the scene… the guns… weren't REAL guns… at least not with bullets. They were tranquilizer guns! I licked my lips… that meant they were after whoever was in the house. The only people in the house was the Electrician and me… me being the more probable answer. They were after ME. Why? Maybe because they knew dad was alive… and thought I would tell them. Or maybe they thought I knew something about WHY he disappeared. Which was what? His work? His project he poured is life into? Those files? Extreme events, meant extreme reasoning. Unreal events meant unreal effects. Like my dad going missing and my apartment getting burned down… was unreal. Like I shouldn't have happened… something out of a movie. Which meant whatever I was going to encounter would be close to the same 'unreal' genre. THAT meant whatever my counter attack was… was going to have to be the same 'unreal' category if it was going to be effective. That meant I might have to spend a night or two in the streets… I might have to sneak around like a thief.

Suddenly… I bolted down the street, back to the apartment. I weaved around people, and joined the crowd that had gathered to see all the commotion about the burning apartment. My eyes searched the crowd, my memory flashing across the faces of the men who had come in before I left. There! I saw one man I recognized from my apartment. He was further off from the crowd… on the other side of the street, talking on a cell phone by a black car. He was watching the firemen squelch the last remaining flames. I frowned. The man's face was roughly bruised. His nose looked as if something big and hard had been swung into his face, dried blood covering his cut up lips. His left eye had already begun to swell, and one hand was around his stomach. He walked with a limp around the car and got in before it drove off. Now… I don't think the coffee table I threw at him could have done that… oh my gosh. My eyes wondered from the car and back to the crowd. On the far left, talking to a fireman, completely fine, was the electrician. He held a cell phone to his ear and a sincere look of concern on his face. My eyes flashed to his hands… his knuckles a little red… from someone else's blood.

I scoffed. Wonder what electricians did in their free time.

"Does anybody live in these apartments!" called a fire men to the crowd. Mrs. Cradell, a neighbor of ours raised her hand. She was a short old lady who lived by her self two floors down. Her apartment was untouched by the flames, but she was going to have to find another place to sleep, as the firemen had closed off the entire apartment until they announced it safe. Mrs. Crandel stepped forward.

"I do sir…" she said, sweetly.

"Do you know who lives in the apartment upstairs?" the fireman asked.

"I don't sir..." Mrs. Crandell said, "I know it was only a father and his daughter… but they kept to themselves mostly."

"A girl! There was a GIRL in the apartment… his daughter was in there!" the electrician was angry… yelling at the fireman, "Did you find the girl? Is she ok?" I realized he must have been busy when I … left. And I did leave pretty quickly… he must of thought I didn't get out.

"Sir… sir!" another voice came out, louder then everyone else's. peeking over shoulders, I saw a tall man with thick round glasses coming towards the fire man, "What happened here?"

"A fire broke out, sir I'm going to have to ask you to step back behind the line." The fireman said. The man shook his head, pulling out a paper from a folder he was carrying.

"I'm here to pick up the girl that lived in that apartment… her father died in a car crash and she's a minor… I'm taking her to foster care." The man said.

"Well they haven't found her!" the electrician snapped, "So get behind the line like the man asked you to." The man turned to the electrician, adjusting his glasses.

"And who are you?" the man asked.

"I'm the electrician that was in the apartment before the fire…" he said.

"And did you see this girl?" the man asked.

"Yes I did… but not after the fire." The electrician answered.

"Well if you're the electrician, then maybe YOU had something to do with the fire… hmm? A faulty wire a little bit of gasoline and that place will go up quite easily." The man said.

"Sir, behind then line." The fireman said, "I'll get you the fire chief and you can talk to him, but for now let me do MY job."

"Let me ask you this," the man began again. Suddenly the Electrician grabbed the man's shoulder and shoved him behind the line.

"Do as the man says! Behind the line!" the electrician snapped.. The man regained his balance, and straightened.

"How DARE you! I could sue you!"he shouted. The electrician spun around and got right in the man's face.

"Aw ya? Go ahead… see what happens." He said. I got the feeling the electrician didn't like people in the foster business… like maybe he had a bad experience with them and this guy just walked in at a bad time.

The man slunk back, the electrician becoming suddenly extremely intimidating. And when he turned around back to the fireman… I saw why the man was so scared. The electrician had piercing eyes. My mind flashed back to when he came to my door. His eyes were soft and his smile kind. His long hair was pulled back into a pony tail, and a sleek pair of glasses over his eyes. Although he was big in bulk and looked very strong, he moved easily and looked extremely fit. Now, thought, his hair was undone and he was frowning. His eyes were alive with rage, and his fists were clenched making him look even bigger. His movements were stiff now, muscles rippling in his arms and shoulders. Even the fireman took a step back from the menacing electrician.

"Hey everybody look!" a fire man was standing on the fire truck, addressing the crowd. He held up a piece of paper so everyone could see. On that piece of paper, one face printed in black and white… MY face, "This is the girl that lived here. She was not found in the remains of her apartment, so we believe she made it out safely… but we cannot find her. Her father recently died in a crash. She's missing ladies and gentle men, so on behalf of all our firemen please look out for her. We will be passing these flyers out promptly…" I didn't hear the rest… I slunk back. If they found me… that man would get me… and put me in foster care… but my dad wasn't DEAD! How was I suppose to explain that to them? I couldn't… so I slunk back. I found a place to hide… and sit and rest. It was in some random ally just off the side of the road. I sat behind a dumpster, so people passing by couldn't see me.

I sat, and I waited. I waited for the panic to start. I waited for my body to have a negative reaction to everything that happened. But it never came. In fact I was quite calm. Then I decided that my emotions were bipolar. Crying one second for my lost home, then perfectly fine with being wanted by the police and foster care and some random people who broke into my home. Yep… BIPOLAR.

Then my dad flashed through my mind. I missed him. I wanted him back. I wanted him home. He was really the only person I had left in my life... I couldn't lose him. And whether he loved me enough to spend him with me instead of his work, or not… I was going to help him best I could.

Ok so think. My dad was missing. Obviously in deep trouble… those men where probably after ME to get to HIM. Probably had something do to with what he was working on. All his work was in his room… which was burnt and completely gone. Wait. His work… I could find some clues at his work, as to where I could find him… I stopped. How deep was I willing to get into this! He's my DAD… one side argued… I have to help him… he's in trouble. But, I'm just a teenager! As soon as I thought that… something overwhelmed me. A feeling. It was the same feeling I felt before. The same feeling that had pulsed over me since I left the apartment. But now, it was twice as strong… and I could identify it. It was _excitement._ Like I was HAPPY I was doing this. Like I KNEW that I was doing the right thing… like I've done it a million times before. NO! I have NOT done it a million times before! I was collecting money for collage! Ya, by conning people, came the arguing side. UUUHG! SO what I LIKED big a con woman? The feeling inside me flared, and I froze. I didn't even know how to be a con woman! I mean… in REAL life I don't… like SERIOUSLY a con! The feeling inside me flared again… the excitement forming into anxiousness. I could feel it in my blood… and something told me I knew EXACTLY how to be a con. My MOTHER taught me many thing that would be very useful as one… and I had played in the little leagues of the con world long enough. My dad was on trouble… serious trouble. I was going to have to get serious to get him back. After my mom left… my dad was all I had. My only family… well besides Peter. He was a lifelong friend of my dad and like an adopted uncle to me. But he lived clear on the other side of town and hardly visited. But PETER wasn't in trouble… my dad was. I licked my lips. My home was gone… and all my money for college. My parents were gone… and someone was after me. The same someone who burned my home. Fine. I was going to do whatever it took to find my dad. Even if I had to break the law… because so far the LAW had done NOTHING for me.


	12. New Component: Jinx

So I left the dumpster… I left with a plan in my head. First I needed money... I was hungry. Then I would find somewhere to make money… some job where they didn't need parents signature or any kind of guardian affirmation, or ask my age even. I had a job in mind… but I wasn't sure I was ready for that. After I got something of a job, I would… a man in front of me coming my way caught my eye. His wallet stuck ever so slightly out of his pocket… I could see a corner of a bill sticking out… NOT in his wallet, but just inside the pocket. He passed me… my hand moved silently. We both continued to walk… his pocket a little lighter and I was holding a fifty dollar bill. I stopped for a moment. No freaking way. Did I just do that? Holy…

"Hey…" a voice came and grabbed my hand. It was the man I just lifted fifty bucks from. In his other hand, he held a picture of me… one of the flyers the firemen was giving out. I jerked my hand loose and took off, leaving him yelling at me and frustrated.

I ate at Jack in the Box… from their dollar menu. One dollar for a decent size burger, and free water. It was good enough to last me a while. But that little event on the street… both the fifty dollar just 'slipping' into my hand and the man recognizing me… those were what was on my mind. Obviously I had to stay low… to disappear. No one could see my face for a while. At least until this thing blew over. And if I had to disappear that meant from crowds and police alike. And that man would tell the police about that fifty dollars and I would be a criminal… which meant staying away from cameras as well. I licked my lips, suddenly realizing how exposed I was in public fast food restaurant. There were people all around me… and I had been lucky so for no one recognized me.

I took my food and let quickly, my hand snatching a dark red baseball cap off a table, whose residents were busy ordering… and one had gone to the bathroom leaving his hat on the table. It was mine now thought… sorry. I pulled the hat low over my eyes, and walked out quickly. I was a little safer now… with a hat. No one would take the time to stop and wonder if that face under the hat was familiar. My town was to busy for that. Well, unless it was the police.

I ate and walked, again thinking. Why did this come so easy to me? Then I remembered my mom. She taught me to knit… telling me to keep a rhythm and smooth movements. We played 'hot potato' and she told me to think like 'light finger' so I wouldn't even leave a fingerprint. I had to be fast with y hands and smooth like knitting, and a quick flick of my wrist and boom… fifty bucks. Had my mom purposely done that? No, I don't think so. She was just a older mom who enjoyed knitting and wanted to pass down the hobby. What about the restaurant… how I just knew where those people were before I took the hat. Again my mom and I played the guessing game where ever we went. At random times she would tell me to close my eyes and tell her everything I could remember about the scene around me. I got pretty good, considering I had my photographic memory back then as well as now. What if my mom had done it on purpose? Did she know this was going to happen? How? Why?

I finished my meal and water. Now for a job… to keep the money coming… and to keep me going to find my dad. Once I had a job, I would go after him. And his work would be the fist place I look. I would have to do all that while avoiding the police, the foster care people, and whoever burned my apartment. Boy this should be interesting. I had to smile to myself.

Change POV

Back with Leverage.

Eliot entered the room, where everyone but Sophie was waiting. Sophie was looking over files from Henry's office at work Parker had found. She was worried… and Nate found out after Eliot arrived… so was he.

"Got the ring?" Hardison asked. Eliot tossed a round object in the air at Nate and huffed down into his seat. Everyone could tell he was a little put off… and everyone heard the little huff with the foster care manager.

Nate caught the ring.

"Good, now we give this back to the owner, and with the new information Parker got us, we can…" Nate paused, looking for the right words "… we can 'revise' Miles bank account and he's behind bars within a week."

"And…" Eliot started.

"Well a job well done team…" Nate said.

"Wait… I thought we were helping Henry… and his daughter?" Hardison said. Eliot looked up.

"We did… we're putting Miles behind bars and clearing Henry's name.

"Ya, and Miles will send his goons after Henry from jail… where Miles be untouchable." Hardison muttered.

"Well what else can we do guys?" Nate argued, "We have NO information on where either of them are are even what Henry was working on. We don't even have a place to start!"

"The place to start is with the girl Nate." Eliot spoke in a dark tone Everyone looked at him.

"She took off Eliot…" Nate said, "What are we suppose to review every street camera in town? It's too big of an area to cover. We'll put Miles behind bars, and watch HIM. Watch where he sends his goons so we can interfere." Eliot stood up, pointing at Nate to make a point.

"That girl thinks she lost her father… her HOUSE was just destroyed. She's on the streets with no one to look out for her but herself. That's HARD on a kid at that age!" Eliot snapped.

"No it's not…" Parker spoke up.

"That's cause your mentally deranged." Eliot said.

"Aw… thanks!" Parker said sincerely, "I didn't think anyone noticed. Hardison rolled his eyes.

"Look, we'll watch Miles goons. We'll follow them to her." Nate said.

"Those weren't Miles' GOONS at her apartment!" Eliot said, "Those were marines! Those were GOVERNMENT people at her house!" Nate blinked.

"Did they find out Henry's research?" Hardison sat up from leaning on the table.

"No. They were after her. One of them practically had a database specifically about her. She's out there by herself, with the entire town looking for her, the police after her as well, and Miles goons, AND government." Eliot said, "And you're saying all we can do is follow some big brutes and HOPE they get there before everyone else? If she doesn't die of starvation, someone else will kill her or she'll be put in foster care and a new family… and her father isn't even DEAD." Eliot boomed. It was clear he felt something personal about this job. Nate thought about it. It was a kid after all. A innocent kid who had done nothing wrong. She was probably crying her heart out this very instant. Nate sighed.

"Fine. Hardison, try and find out what government was doing there and get back on Henry's files. I'm going to go return this ring. Parker go see if you can salvage anything from Henry's apartment. Eliot come with me…" Nate turned on his heel. Eliot had grabbed his coat and was off before Hardison and parker could even stand up. Eliot breezed past Sophie who had just stepped out of the way.

"I just found something in Henry's files… a code name or something." Sophie said, "It's mentioned a number of times in description paragraphs and once with a capital letter… Jinx." Sophie said. Nate stopped at the door.

"Jinx?"

"Know it?" Sophie asked.

"IT? It's a person… and I only know OF her. Very few people know of her. She's THE greatest theif that ever lived."

"Then how to very few people know about her?" Parker asked.

"What's the one reason a thief is a thief?"Nate asked.

"They con people and things." Hardison said, still nto getting it.

'Uh-huh. And what makes them a good thief?"

"If they never get caught."

"Exactly… the reason why few people know of her, is because few people know of ALL the cons she's done, all the things she stole, all the things she capable off. She's the best and not famous because she was very good and not getting caught or traced."

"Well couldn't police trace the style? I mean very few thieves leave absolutely no trace at the crime scene. And if one did, wouldn't it be like a trade mark? I mean a bunch of cases with no trace would have to be done by the same person right?" Hardison asked. Nate nodded.

"Yes, but, these cons happened all around the world, and MANY of them were traceable… to other thieves. She left the trade marks of other thieves, without actually giving the police enough to track that theif down. In Paris, if you were a con, you found it an honor if the Jinx used your trade mark."

"So she used other cons trade marks and styles to cover her own cons to keep the cops from thinking it was Jinx." Sophie said, understanding.

"Right… and only con's know about her. Any police files that have been reported closed because they couldn't find the con, was one in three probably Jinx. Even certain thieves became famous for crimes they didn't commit because the Jinx piggybacked their name and trade mark for her own con."

"That's one heck of a smart con you're talking about."

"The smartest." Nate said.

"What happened to her?" Eliot asked.

"Well somewhere between 1952 and 2006 she disappeared."

"That's a big gap in those numbers." Hardison said.

"That's because she was already invisible when she disappeared. No one knows exactly when or why she disappeared… or even if she really did."

"And you think that's the same Jinx mentioned in Henry's files?"

"Maybe... Sophie…" Nate tossed the ring to Sophie, "return that. Eliot and I have an errand to run." Eliot was out the door, Nate at his heels.

"What's gotten into those two?" Sophie asked.

"Eliot went all old school on us. He's not going to admit he's really worred about Henry's daughter." Parker said.

"Well that makes two of us." Sophie said.

"Hey… THREE of us…" Hardison said and then turned to Parker, "And you did NOT just say "old school" sist'a." Parker looked at him.

"I'm not your sister." Parker said. Hardison's mouth dropped.

"It's slang…" hardison said.

"Whatever. I never under stood that kind of stuff. Even if I did I'd never use it." Parker said.

"You just di… ah!" Hardison threw his hands up, giving up. Parker rolled her eyes and left… out the window.


	13. Who is Jinx?

"Nate I'm sorry for blowing up back there…" Eliot broke the silence as Nate drove the sleek black car. Nate shrugged.

"It's understandable." Nate said. And that's all that needed to be said.

"Where we going?" Eliot asked.

"Did you wonder how I knew about Jinx?" Nate asked.

"Ya… actually that crossed my mind… and how few is 'few' anyway?" Eliot asked.

"Well including me… few means maybe four or five."

"So how did you become part of that population?"

"We're going to his place right now."

"His?"

"Jinx's long time friend…I had him behind bars when I worked at the insurance company. Nice guy. We talked and he gave me tips on a few things. He mentioned Jinx… that's how I got to know about her."

"And where is this guy?"

"Well, either in jail… or right here." Nate parked on a corner, and turned the car off. Eliot followed his gaze across a street.

"A coffee shop?" Eliot said, "He's either in jail or at a coffee shop? Really?"

'Ya… come on." Nate said getting out of the car. He led the way into the coffee shop, a bell ringing above the door as they opened it. Inside smelt like coffee, and the tables were full of silent people. Must be some good coffee, Eliot thought. Nate went up to the counter, and hit the bell.

"One minute!" a man hollered from the back of the kitchen. Then a average size man came around the corner. Average as in height. But he was big around the chest and arms, and he walked with a crooked leg, 'What can I do for you… NATE!" the man gave a big smile, "Aw man how you doing!"

"Hi Marty. I'm doing just fine, what about you?"

"Aw can't complain. At least better than I did in jail right?" Marty laughed. Nate laughed to.

"Ya, ya. Hey listen I need to ask you some questions…"

"This about…" Marty let it hang. Nate shook his head.

"No, no. I'm out of that sort of business. I'm a… I'm running a con team actually." Nate said.

"You're kidding." Mary's eyes glimmered, 'Well I'll be. I never would have thought. Playing the black knight are we?"

"Ya, but about those questions. I need information about… a certain something I don't want to discuss around…" Nate motioned to all the customers. Marty was confused at first, then realized Nate was talking about all the people.

'Oh!" it clicked, 'Ya don't worry about them. They are all old partners or long time friends…" Marty said. Nate looked at them.

"You mean they're all con men?" Nate asked. Marty laughed and nodded, "Weill I needed to ask you about…" Eliot suddenly tapped him on his shoulder and Nate turned around. Eliot motioned Nate over, away from earshot.

"Hold on one second." Nate told Marty. He walked over to Eliot, who had his back to the customers, 'What is it?"

"I'm in real hot here." Eliot said, "I KNOW some of the people in here…" Nate frowned. He knew all to well what Eliot meant. They were always running into people Eliot 'KNEW." And that pretty much meant there were people in here that had a score to settle with him.

"Ok, can you just…" Nate shrugged, "NOT cause trouble?" Eliot looked at him.

"Practically everyone I pissed off is sitting in this coffee house. If one starts, they will ALL want to get a piece, NATE."

"Ok, wait out in the car." Nate said. Eliot left. Nate watched him leave, and six guys watched him go as well. Then those six guys followed Eliot out the door, all of them with an old grudge coming alive again. Nate turned back to Marty.

"Ok straight to it. I need some information on Jinx." Nate said. Marty leaned on the counter, eyeing Nate.

"What for?" Marty said.

"She may be a part of a con I'm doing." Nate said. Marty shook his head.

"She doesn't do that anymore Nate. She Left the conning business years ago. Got married. She doesn't want any more trouble from people like us or the cops."

"She's still alive I take it?"

"Last time I checked… seven years ago." Marty said.

"That's a long time ago." Nate said, "The name Jinx showed up in a few files on one of our targets desk. We picked up the files this morning… but the research Jinx was under was years worth. So can you tell me anything?" Nate asked. Marty sighed, thinking.

"Look, I hear rumors… I haven't talked to her since she left the conning business." Marty said. Nate leaned in a little closer, "Rumor has it, everything she's ever stolen was stored in one place. Multi million dollar cash box somewhere out there. Her last job, was to steal the worlds best security system… and she did. Then she modified it herself. She told me she wanted to settle down and get married."

"Did she know to who?"

"Ya… but I never got a name. I got a picture of them together though… give me one minute." Marty left the counter. That one minute turned to two… then three, but Marty came back with a picture in his hand. He handed it over to Nate, who looked at it.

'This… THiS is her husband?" Nate pointed at the man with glasses. Marty nodded.

"I met him once… nice guy." Marty said. Nate handed the picture back, 'sorry I couldn't help more."

"No… you helped a great deal… thanks." Nate left a pretty tip in the jar and left. He found Eliot waiting in the car, his knuckles bruised.

"What happened to those six guys?" Nate shrugged.

"They're right there." Eliot pointed. Nate saw six guy getting question by the police. All of them bruised battered and bleeding, "Did you get what you needed?

"More then that… I know Jinx real name…" Nate said, " It's Amelia Parker."

"What Henry's dead wife?"

"Ya… Henry's dead wife."


	14. New target

Back at leverage… everyone had completed their jobs. No one with much luck, but Hardison was still sitting at his computer.

"Ok, everyone. Amelia Parker, that name ring a bell?" Nate asked

"My relative?" Parker asked.

"No… well… I don't think so…" Nate said, "She's a thief everyone knows as Jinx. The best in the world until she decided to settle down and get married… she married Henry and they had a daughter… Allison. We know Henry was looking for his wife, who apparently called him after she disappeared and was announced dead. Henry is looking for Jinx, who apparently is in deep with the government… which would explain all of Henry's research in classifieds."

"And we're assuming because his wife was Jinx, that's the connection with the government?" Sophie asked.

"No. If they knew they caught the Jinx it would have been a big deal, all over TV and newspapers. If they thought they caught some petty thief, it wouldn't have been classified. Something is hiding in her story… Hardison is still working on it.

"Can you just hack a password?" Eliot asked. Hardison sighed, and set his hands down.

"Ok, let me say this AGAIN, now that everyone is here. Hacking a password is one of the easiest ways to get in.. I don't know the password, so I use my computer hacking skills to take a back door, or fake the computer into thinking I know the password. But it's protected. In this case, it would be eaiser to know the password… but look, I did look at the feed from the cameras in Henry's apartment…" Hardison pulled a hand held remote and pointed it at the screen. Video feed popped up on the screen. It was of the living room.

"Here, we see the daughter doing some serious cleaning…" Hardison said as they saw a blurry figure come in with cleaning supplies. Quickly she started by moving everything to one side of the room, couches and all, and cleaned and vacuumed.

"She could make good money if she cleans like that." Sophie said, "I mean not become rich, or enough for collage, but enough to like go to the movies."

"Hardison what are we watching this for?" Nate asked. Hardison held up his hand.

"Wait for it." Hardison said. The girl continued to clean. She moved everything back into place, and moved to the kitchen. But Hardison didn't move to the kitchen's feed. Instead. He held up his finger, and pointed. I figured suddenly passed through the window, a flash quickly coming and going… the figure took a picture.

"So what, people pass by windows all the time." Eliot said.

"Ya… but a window four stories up?" Hardison said, 'This feed is part of the very fist footage we got. Someone's been watching them for a lot longer than us or Miles."

"You think the government has been watching them?" Parker asked.

"Whatever they government wanted Jinx for… it looks like they didn't get it. So they go back for it." Nate said.

"What do they want?" Sophie wondered, still watching the video.

"Hardison, was there a flash any other time then just now?" Nate asked. Hardison clicked it again, rewinding the tape to before the girl even got home. Another flash appeared in the window.

"How far apart are they?" Nate asked.

"About a half hour." He answered.

"Why would someone want pictures of the same room twice, only a half hour apart?" nate asked, "It seems to specific. Get me a frame of each time the flash went off." Hardison set to work. The screen split into two window, each showing the different moments a picture was taking, frozen in a single frame.

"What does he see?" Nate breathed, mostly to himself.

"Oh my…" Sophie stood up, a hand over her mouth, "It's not what you see… it's what you DON'T see." She said.

"Say again?" Eliot asked, confused as everyone was.

"Hardison, one picture is before the girl got home, and the other is after she cleaned yes?" Sophie asked.

"What are you getting at?" Nate asked, as Hardiosn nodded.

"Look at those two pictures." Sophie said, pointed at them, "Let's play a game called spot the difference."

"I love that game!" Parker shouted, and they suddenly concentrated on the photos. As did everyone else. A few moments went by and Sophie spoke up again.

"There IS no difference." She said.

"So?"

"She cleaned… she moved things around, and yet everything is put back precisely in the same spot as before, nothing even an inch out of place. Look, the books on the counter are put exactly at the same angle, stacked the same way, placed in the same spot."

"Impressive but…" Eliot was still confused.

"It takes professional thieves YEARS to learn that. It gives them the ability to search a room and not leave any evidence they were there. It's not a talent you find off the street." Sophie said.

"So the apple didn't fall far from the tree," Nate said, "The best theif in the world, has a daughter who doesn't even know her ability to con."

"Ironic." Hardison muttered.

"So the government is documenting this… probably for the same reason they kidnapped Jinx." Nate said, "And when Henry disappeared, they found the perfect moment to take it… which didn't work because Eliot was there. Eliot do you know what they were after?"

"No… the first thing they went after…" Eliot paused, "was the girl."

"That poor girl!" Sophie breathed, "Nate everyone is after her… we have to find her."

"And what, bring her here?" Nate asked.

"If we have to YES." Eliot stood up, "Cause we're not the kind of people who would let her live on the streets and starve…"

"Fine, if you want to babysit, do what you want. Just don' expect me to be of any help other then clearing Henry's name."

"So how do we find this girl?" Sophie asked.

"We can start by looking at any feed from around her house… she took off after she left the building…" Hardison said, "I'll look into it."

"Ok, hold on… you guys aren't thinking this through. We still have to find Henry before Miles does. Eliot I need YOU to look for Henry leave his daughter to Sophie and Hardison. Parker…"

"I want to look for the girl." Parker said. Everyone looked at her surprised, "What?"

"Ok you can join Sophie. Me and Eliot will take Henry. Remember Miles thinks we're dead."

"And he thinks we were working for Henry… well we were… just not directly and not the backstabbing part." Sophie said.

"Ok, let's get craking!" Nate clapped his hands and went for the door. No one moved. Nate stopped when he grabbed his coat, and turned around. His team was still sitting there, exchanging glances at each other, "What? What's wrong?"

"Nate… we're searching for two people…" Sophie said for all of them, "We only have one leader. None of us know where to start…"

"Yes… I'll be running to jobs… thank you." Nate sighed, "Alright. Hardison start with the girl and get Sophie and Parker on their way. Eliot and I will check out this Peter fellow who tried to blow us up."

"Hold on… I want to look for the girl." Eliot said. Nate dropped his head.

"Eliot you can't."

"You let Parker look for her!" Eliot said.

"Eliot that's because Parker could very well cry if she doesn't get what she wants." Nate said. Parker stood up her hands on her hips.

"Should I take that offensively?" she asked. Nate waved her off.

"Sides, Henry will be in the kind of trouble you have to deal with…"

"Well so is the girl!" Eliot said.

"Yes but not right now. I have a feeling, this Peter guy, is leading Henry straight into Miles hands. We got to go." Nate said. That made sense. Miles did say he knew Henry wasn't dead, because Henry showed up at Peter's house after he supposedly 'died.' Which meant Henry trusted Peter. But Eliot still didn't move.

"Look the sooner we find Henry, the sooner we find the girl? Hmm?" He said. That got Eliot moving. Together they left.

"Alright, Hardison let me know what you find." Sophie said standing up.

"Whao… where you going?" Hardison asked.

"Shopping." Sophie answered.

'Shopping?" Parker perked up, "Why?"

"If that girl is staying here, she'll need a room to herself. Her house was burnt, she has not new clothes… nothing. I simply want to give her a welcome present." Sophie said, "Parker, would you like to come?"

"Sure." Parker followed her out the door. Hardison licked his lips, "Ok, let's see how fast I can fly." He said, and cracked his knuckles before placing his fingers in a blur over the keyboard.


	15. UNCLE peter?

Alison's POV

I starred intently at the oak door in front of me. My hand was held over it, ready to knock. Did I really want to do this? Something inside me was shouting no, but something else was telling me I wouldn't survive without knocking and going through with it. I had been fine with my decision talking to Peter five minutes ago. Walking straight up to the door and a second away for knocking, I froze, questioning myself. Peter was my friend, a trusted friend. Family. The only family I had left at the moment. He had probably heard that my dad was dead, and heard about my burnt apartment, and thought of me as missing. Which I was. But having a home base again… my heart crumbled… having a place to belong was something everyone needed. With no family and no home all suddenly gone in one day, that was hard on me. I knew that if I was going to stay sane, I was going to have to knock.

I did.

For a moment no one answered. I held still like any kind of moment would trigger something. I listened… and I heard footsteps coming. The knob twisted and opened. Peter stood there, confused at first, then he caught th efamilar face under the hat. His eyes widened.

"ALY!" He yelled, and jerked me into a huge, "Oh my… where have you been? Everyone's looking for you! Are you alright? What happened? What's going on?"

"Hi…' was all I could say. He pulled back.

"COME INSIDE!" he opened his door for me, and I walked in. Ten minutes later I was in clean clothes eating a healthy meal, and sitting on his couch. Peter came in and sat across from me, setting a glass of lemonade in front of me. Pink lemonade…. It was my favorite.

"Now, what happened? What's going on? Where did you go?" Peter asked. I swallowed a bit of pasta.

"My dad isn't dead." I said. Peter pulled back casualy and nodded.

"I know. I saw the crash on the news. A few hours after pronounced dead he showed up at my door looking for help." Peter said. I looked at him.

"You've seen him? Where? When? Where is he now?" I had a lead! Maybe I could find him through Peter! What luck! But Peter shook his head.

"I don't know. Aly. I'm sorry." He said. My hope faded, along with my appitite. I set the plate aside. Stupid…

"Look Aly, there's something you should know… about your father's work." Peter said.

'That it was classified and dangerous, and there is a lot of people after him for it?" I said. Peter blinked.

"Wow… how did you know that?" Peter asked. I shrugged, and Peter went on, "Well it's not only that. Your father… was looking for your mother."

Something hit me. Something hard. It was like being electrocuted for a split second… to the chest. I jerked, trying to figure out if I heard him correctly. My whole body went numb when I realized I had heard him right.

"He… he was what?" I stuttered, "But… classifieds… those people…" Peter sighed and put his hand on mine.

"Ally listen to me. Do you remember anything about your mother?" he asked. I didn't answer… I couldn't, "Your mother… lived in Paris for a long time before she met your father."

"Ya… at the Lagoon Nacho stand… he was working there…" I muttered remember the sotry of how my parents met.

"But before she met your father… she spent most of her time in Europe and Asia… she was… a theif Allison. One of the best."

'How… what are… but…" I couldn't say anything. I felt like I had been drugged… my mind wouldn't focus. I couldn't' string words together. Things were moving to fast, "She's… my mom's dead." Henry shook his head.

"No… no she's alive. Allison listen carefully because what I'm about to tell you is classified. There's a government project called the Double Helix…" my mind flashed. Papers… folders… screens… Double Helix… my dad new about it… it was part of his research, "The DH program was set up to track down a specific component in the DNA."

"DNA?" I looked at Peter.

"Yes. There's a certain pattern in the DNA they were looking for. They found it… it was your mother…"

"They kidnapped her… the government kidnapped her?" I asked. This is unreal… this is.. so OVER my head.

"Yes. She had what they wanted in her DNA… they were going to replicate it. They found it in your mother's grandma as well. But then they realized each generation the DNA is passed down, it becomes stronger…"

"WhAT becomes stronger?"

"The pattern… the pattern is multiplied making whatever that part of the DNA controls, stronger. In this case memory. The part in the DNA that controls memory, was replicated in your great grandmother's DNA. The memory part of the brain was more active. She could do incredible things. It was passed to you mother… and they took he when they found out that the pattern is replicated and becomes stronger with each generation. That's why she never contacted you… she didn't want them to know she had a daughter, and risk them taking you as well."

"So… my father…"

"Was trying to find the facility they were holding your mother at. But the government traced him. That's why he played the act of 'dying' a trick taught to him by your mother. It was to protect YOU. So YOU wouldn't be taken."

"But…" I thought. Something did fit. There were more pieces that didn't fit. The names in the foulder… Nathen ford... "Who's Nathan Ford?"

"Nathan Ford?" Peter's eyes flashed for a moment… and I got confused, "He's a very well known employer at the insurance company… IYS. Insurance investigator or something. Famous name… why?"

"Well I…" I don't know why I didn't tell him I found it in my father's records… "I don't know."

"Listen Ally, the foster care owner is looking for you. I can give him a call…"

"No… I think I want to find my father first."

"Ally, it's to dangerous for a kid your age… you got to think ahead. Your father is in some kind of trouble to keep you safe… do you think he'd want you to put that in vain?"

"My father knows me… he know's I'm stubborn…"

"Like your mother."

"My father knows I'll fight for the family I have." I said, "He knows."

"Ally… please. The foster care will be good for you…"

"But my parents aren't DEAD. You said yourself they're both alive!"

"Look, Ally, going into foster care doesn't exactly mean you'll get adopted. It just means you'll be looked after until they find someone to permanently take care of you." Peter said.

"ya… and I'll have NO chance to find my father. I KNOW him… I know the situation he's in. No one else has a better chance of finding him but me."

"Ally…"

"Peter! No! I'm not going into foster care!" I stood up. Maybe coming here was a bad decision after all.

"What am I suppose to do? Just let you walk out of my house to living on the streets? I can't do that. I a good friend of your father… I feel the responsibility to act…"

"You don't even have to say I was here." I said.

"That's not the point…"

"Ok… let's put it THIS way…" I said getting angry, 'You're going to tell me to stay here… in your house… and assume I'm going to just STAY here."

"Why else did you come then?"

"For a place to SLEEP…"

"Ally, I can't take care of you… I… I have… things. You wouldn't do well here… trust me. It's better if you go to foster care…"

"Ok… I'm done." I threw up my hands, "I'm done, I'm not listening to this anymore. I thought you would HELP me find my father. But you're acting like you just want to STOP me."

"Ally…"

"NO… I'm done. I'm leaving… goodbye Peter." I left out the door, and hurried away in case he came after me. Would he? I don't know. But that look in his eye when I said Nathan Ford… and the pieces that didn't fit… he wasn't telling me something… there was still part of the puzzle to be solved. LATER, I thought. Focus on my father. Where would he hide?


	16. Electrician?

Eliot and Nate, found themselves locked in a room. Mile's men found them. Eliot had taken seven of them out before the last three pulled guns. They were shut up in a supply room until Miles arrived. Parker was on her way, and Hardison had already gotten the cameras to where they were at.

"Parker…" Nate said slowly pacing back and forth.

"On my way."

"Ok, there's two guards who won't be waking up any time soon…"

"Three…" Eliot corrected, eyeing a vent in the ceiling.

"Three…" Nate repeated, "That means you only have to worry about seven."

"Seven and a half… one of them won't be walking for at least another four hours." Eliot said.

"Cameras up?" Nate asked.

"And rolling."

"Alright, here's what we do, Parker how close are you…" Nate asked.

"Look up." Nate and Eliot looked up. Parker's face appeared in the vent smiling.

"Oh good…" Nate said, a bit surprised at her speed.

"I work fast when I'm… troubled." Parker said.

"Nate you first." Eliot insisted. Eliot helped hoist Nate into the vent, which took more than just a shove.

"Care to lay off the burriots?" Eliot stammered as he lifted the full grown man up.

"Conning makes me hungry sometimes…" Nate tried to defend himself.

"HEY WHOA!" Hardison's sudden voice piped up on the ear buds, and they all froze.

"What?" nate asked.

"You got company coming your way fast!" Harrison said, "Nate, Eliot get out of there!"

"We don't have time!" Nate said.

"They could kill you both!" Parker hissed.

"They could do worst to the one that stayed when they find out the other escaped." Nate said. Eliot thought about it… and decided he didn't need to think about it. He gave a final shove and threw Nate into the vent.

"Ehywoah!" Nate's voice muttered as he was thrown in. He heard the vent close behind him. "Eliot!" he hissed. Eliot jumped away from the vent just as the door opened. One of Miles men came in, and three more brutes followed. The main man instantly saw one was missing.

"Where is your friend?" he asked. Eliot looked him straight in the eye and shrugged. The man frowned and turned to one of his pals.

"Check the perimiter and vents." He told one, and his friend left immediately, 'Cory!" he called another pal up, "Check this vent." He pointed to the vent Eliot had just shut. The man went over and Eliot just watched. The vent was pulled off and reviled an empty ventilation shaft.

"You… where is he?" the man asked Eliot. Eliot held still slightly hunching his shoulders, and gave a slight shrug. The man frowned frustrated. It looked like he had other things on his mind. He turned to his men behind him.

"Put her in here, and stand by the door." He said. Eliot watched. Two men roughly shoved a teenage girl into the room. She promptly caught her balance, turned, and swiped at the closest guy.

"Let go of me!" she snapped at them. Eliot hesitated when he saw her… it was Henry's daughter. He'd found her! "You can't keep me here! It's illegal!" The man looked at her, and laughed.

"We will only keep you here long enough to attract your fathers attention. Then there's a price on your head a government agent came through here a few weeks ago asking for you. He's willing to pay us handsomely for you."

"GOVERNMENT?" the girl repeated, "Idiots. You really think he's government?"

"Why wouldn't he be?" one man asked.

"One question… why would a government agent get mixed up with the likes of you?"

"It's none of your business."

"Is SO my business." The girl snapped, "You're being arrogant." The man looked like he was about to slap her. Eliot didn't know if it was a move to hit her, or a move to itch his nose, but either way he wasn't taking that chance. In one move Eliot had kicked the man out the door. The man stumbled back, limbs flying. The other men jumped out of the way, and then looked at him, then Eliot.

"What you guys need an escort out of the room to?" he threatened. The men hastily left the room, and locked the door behind them. Eliot watched them go.

"Electrician my butt." The girl said. Eliot tuned around, and found the girl starring at him, arms crossed.

"You know you should really watch your mouth with these guys. They will throw fists."

"Oh… and you would know?" she said. Eliot hesitated. It was a difficult decision to make to try and keep his cover as an electrician, or just tell her the truth. The truth? Which was what?

"I don't know what kind of trouble you're in…" Eliot started, deciding to keep his cover, "But whoever these guys are, think I have something to do with you. They jumped me in the street. I'm an electrician who was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. So if you'd be as so kind to tell them, i got nothing to do with you…"

"I'd be lying." The girl said flat you.

"Excuse me?"

"And you're the typical adult who thinks I'm blind. I'm sorry but I'm not playing games. You can play all you like. I'm not an idiot."

"You think I have something to do with all of this? Whatever all of this IS?" Eliot said. The girl just rolled her eyes, and dropped her shoulders. Suddenly she looked very tired and worn out. Eliot suddenly realized her cheeks were read and had the slightest hint of tear streaks. Bags had begun to show under her eyes, and it looked like she had another five years on her. She threw up her hands at Eliot.

"Do you know what? Whatever, I don't care anymore. Just whatever." She turned around and found a box to sit on.

Eliot thought. She had been on the street for a while… and been through a lot. She was probably on edge and just needed sleep. Eliot licked his lips, suddenly feeling bad about lying to her.

"Did they hurt you?" he asked.

"No…" she said. But her face said something else. Eliot had seen that look before. They hand't hurt her… just scared her. She pulled her knees up and hugged them. She looked deep in thought, and memory. He turned his back and tried to see if his earbud would work.

"Nate…" he said quietly.

"Ya…" Nate heard him.

"Where are you?"

"Out."

"Safe?"

"Ya… thanks to you. I don'[t appreciate being shoved into a shaft you know."

"Nate… Henry's daughter is in here. They just brought her in." Eliot said. Nate hesitated, and didn't answer for a while. It was silent on all ends of the com, but he knew Nate had heard him.

"Alright, hang tight." Nate finally said. He had a plan. He always had a plan.


End file.
